Contradiction of the Malevolent Heart
by FablehavenFan
Summary: SEQUEL TO "SIEGE ON THE FAIRY KINGDOM". Seth and his friends embark on a quest to help a rather unusual demon. Can this demon actually be trusted, or are all demons truly evil?
1. Thanksgiving

**Disclaimer:** I do no own the Fablehaven series, or any of the characters or concepts that originated from it.

**A/N: Warning! This is the third story in my series. I strongly encourage you to read the first two before reading this, or a lot of things won't make sense and will be spoiled for you. Thank you and enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Thanksgiving<strong>

A crisp, autumn breeze flowed throughout the fields of Fablehaven, blowing itself across Seth Sorenson's face. A small cluster of leaves, all of which were various shades of yellow, orange or brown, flickered past his head.

Walking towards Seth, hauling a vegetable cart behind himself, was Hugo. As Hugo neared closer, Seth could see that the golem was smiling, no doubt he was in good spirits.

"Hey, Hugo!" said Seth, as the large figure stopped in front of him. "Those the pumpkins my mom asked for?"

"Pumpkins in cart," said Hugo. "Hugo harvest."

Seth walked over to the cart, and could see that it was filled with pumpkins that Hugo had been told to collect from the pumpkin patch in the preserve's greenhouse. They reminded Seth of the Midsummer Eve two years ago, when he and Kendra visited Fablehaven for the first time.

It was now late November, indicating that Seth and his immediate family had now been living at Fablehaven for roughly half a year. His life had changed drastically, and while he was fond of the thrills it brought, the cataclysmic danger that usually came with it was something he could stand to do without.

"Hugo," said Seth, "I don't think we need _that_ many pumpkins. We've got enough pumpkins here to make pies that'll last us 'til _next_ Thanksgiving!"

"Hugo sorry," said the golem.

"Well, you might as well bring them all. "Maybe we can save them for Midwinter Eve next month. Say, as long as you're heading back to the house, mind giving me a lift?"

Hugo looked back at Seth and the cart. "Hop in," he said.

Seth wasn't one to literally jump into a vegetable cart full of pumpkins, but instead opted to climb aboard. There wasn't really a place to sit, so Seth opted to lean against several of the large fruits. Or were they vegetables? Either way, Hugo could see that Seth was ready, and proceeded to wheel him, along with the vegetable cart, across the fields until they reached the side of the main house.

Seth leaped down from the pumpkins, then darted through the backdoor of the house into the kitchen. Seth took a good whiff of the air, and could smell Thanksgiving dinner cooking in the oven. Standing at the counter was Mrs. Sorenson, who was in the middle of preparing stuffing, using her own homemade recipe.

"Hey, Mom," said Seth, "how's dinner coming along?"

"Just fine," she replied, still paying attention to her cooking. "The turkeys are almost done. Did Hugo get any pumpkins yet?"

"I'll say! Guy's got like a dozen pumpkins!"

Mrs. Sorenson flinched. "I told Hugo that I needed pumpkins. Just enough to make pumpkin pie for fourteen people."

"So instead of getting pumpkins for fourteen people..."

"He fetched me fourteen pumpkins," continued Mrs. Sorenson. "Yes, I should've just asked for one large pumpkin and worked with that."

"So, what are we supposed to do with all these extra pumpkins?" asked Seth. "Make like a hundred pies?"

"Of course not! I can use them for pumpkin soup and then freeze it all. We'll have enough pumpkin soup to last us for months."

"Great," muttered Seth, hardly overjoyed at the very thought.

Only a few seconds later, they could hear someone knocking at the front door rather heavily.

"Who could that be?" asked Seth, as he walked through the kitchen and into the front hall. Before he could reach the door, Kendra had spurted down the stairs and beat Seth to it. She then opened it up, to reveal Raxtus, who, despite being a fairy dragon, managed to fit himself on the porch, even if he couldn't enter the house.

"Raxtus!" said Kendra, as she threw her arms around her friend. "You made it!"

"Course I did," he said, hugging Kendra back. "And I brought my family!"

With Kendra still in his arms, Raxtus backed away from the door so that Seth could step outside as well. Standing there, holding something in her arms, was Geminus.

"We've got something to show you guys," said Geminus, lowering her arms down to reveal a tiny, purple hatchling in her claws.

"She's our baby," said Raxtus proudly.

"Cool!" said Seth, as he darted over to Geminus, then stroked the hatchling's head with his hand. Unlike with full-grown adult dragons, young hatchlings had very smooth, almost rubber-like skin.

The hatchling giggled, then gazed up at both Seth and Kendra with her large, intense, sapphire eyes.

"What's her name?" asked Kendra, taking her turn to stroke the hatchling.

"We named her Vanessa," said Geminus, "after our fallen friend. Not a common practice for a dragon to be given a human name, but we felt it was appropriate."

"She's adorable," said Kendra. "Is she a fairy dragon like you two are?"

"We imagine so," replied Raxtus. "Vanessa is kinda small for her age, and she's very pretty, so it wouldn't surprise me if she grew into one."

"I'm so proud of you guys," said Kendra.

"Are you two, I mean, three, going to eat at the table?"

Geminus laughed. "No. We're going to eat outside in the backyard. Stan agreed that it would just be easier for everyone if we did that."

"Don't worry," said Kendra. "I'll make sure to come out and visit you during the meal! But, the important thing is that you came to visit at all."

"I wish we could've done Thanksgiving last night. You know, on Thanksgiving _Day_."

"There's nothing wrong with having it the day after," said Kendra. "Our other guests wanted to celebrate with their families too, you know."

"I thought you told us Thanksgiving would be today," stated Raxtus.

"Well, technically, it _was_ yesterday," said Kendra. "But we're doing it today, and there's nothing wrong with that at all. Seth's just being, well, a brat."

"Whatever," muttered Seth. He knew that Raxtus had always been closer to Kendra, anyway. And Geminus, being a fairy dragon, along with Raxtus' mate, would side with her as well. At least Lance was coming, and he was, without a doubt, more of a friend to Seth than to Kendra.

"Who wants to go for a ride?" asked Geminus.

"I'll go," said Kendra, as she climbed up onto Geminus' backside. "You okay holding Vanessa?"

"Kendra," said Geminus, "I flew all the way from Wyrmroost holding Vanessa in my arms. I think I'll be just fine flying around the forest.

"You can ride on me, Seth," said Raxtus.

"All right," said Seth in agreement, mounting himself upon Raxtus' back.

The two dragons took off into the air, each with one of the Sorenson children seated on their backs. For the first time in months, Kendra and Seth both experienced the sensation of flying around through the air on the back of a dragon. They whizzed over treetops, ponds and hills, before eventually returning to the backyard.

"Is Vanessa with all this heavy flying around?" asked Kendra, as she dismounted from Geminus.

"Of course it is," replied Raxtus. "Flying a hatchling around like this is a contributing factor in conquering a dragon's own fear of flying. In fact, it helps them learn how to fly."

"Why would a dragon need to learn?" asked Seth. "You're born with wings, anyway."

"Flying lessons are still important," said Geminus. "It's not instinctual. Even fairies need to be taught how to fly."

"Just like with birds," added Kendra. "I learned that at a farm once. I always thought it was a natural ability, but the farm had ducklings that were unable to fly because they had been separated from their parents at a young age."

For the next few hours, Kendra and Seth passed the time by playing with Vanessa. The diminutive dragon behaved much like a baby human, and was even similar in size. In her own little way, Vanessa bore some resemblance to both Raxtus and Geminus.

"Hello, everybody," said a familiar voice. Everyone turned to the back door of the house, and saw Tanu, standing before them with a smile upon his face.

"Tanu!" said Kendra, signalling for the Samoan to join the rest of them.

Raxtus and Geminus went on to introduce Vanessa to Tanu, and before long, the potions master was playing around with the hatchling as well.

"Hello, everybody," said another, familiar voice. "Hello, Kendra."

"Bracken!" said Kendra, as she got up and ran over to her unicorn friend, making sure to give him a big, strong hug.

"Hey, hey," said Bracken with a huge grin. "Take it easy! There's plenty of Bracken for everybody. Bright and Clover went back to the Fairy Kingdom for the day, but they should be on their way."

Bracken too was then introduced to Vanessa. Due to his fairy-like nature, the young hatchling was inexplicably drawn towards him, trying to reach for him with her arms.

Shortly after Bracken arrived, Bright and Clover showed up. They too were pleased to see not only Vanessa, but also asked Geminus about how her life was living as a fairy dragon.

"Hey, guys," called yet another, familiar voice.

Standing by the back door was Lance, accompanied by another, taller, teenaged boy.

"This place is sooo cool!" said the other boy, gazing in awe at the dragons.

"Lance!" said Seth, as he ran over to his friend and shook his hand.

"I don't believe you guys have really met," said Lance. "Seth, this is David, my foster brother."

"Nice to meet you," said David, as he shook Seth's hand firmly.

"It was so nice of you guys to invite both me and David over for Thanksgiving dinner," said Lance, as they all walked over to the rest of the group, where everyone was introduced to David. David, was fascinated by the sight of the dragons as well as the two fairy angels that had gathered around him.

"Hey, it's a baby dragon!" said David, as he and Lance reached their hands down towards Vanessa. However, rather than watch the boys' hands moving around, Vanessa opted to back away behind her mother's leg, and let out a cry.

"I'm so sorry!" exclaimed David, as he backed away from the fairy dragons.

"Is it something we did?" asked Lance.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Seth. "She was friendly just a moment ago!"

"Too much action," said Raxtus, as he picked up Vanessa and held her in his arms, rocking her gently. "A lot of people are gathered here."

"Babies can easily get upset like that," said Seth. "They just cry a lot."

"You should know," said Kendra, "you have first-hand experience."

"And you were an angel, I'm sure," muttered Seth.

"I think Vanessa needs a nap," Geminus.

"Just as well," said Kendra. "If all the guests have arrived, the rest of us can gather inside, and leave you dragons alone until dinner."

"All right," said Geminus. "Sorry, but Vanessa's had a big day."

At that point, all the humans and fairies went back inside the house, where they mostly congregated in the living room.

"So, what's this place all about, anyway?" asked David, who had discovered a seat on one of the couches next to Lance. "Lance described it as a refuge for magical creatures, right?"

"Well, yes," said Grandpa. "Over the past few centuries, human progression has given the magical creatures of this world fewer and fewer places to dwell. As such, many preserves and sanctuaries, such as Fablehaven itself, were founded to give magical creatures a place where they could be protected from the outside world.

"Cool!" said David. "Even though my grandmother is a Knight of the Dawn, her duties are very limited. Mostly clerical stuff. She joined at an age too old for her to be out on adventures, you see. She was hoping that she could introduce the family into the Knights. While my parents are on the fence about the whole thing, I've been hoping to join myself once I finish high school."

"You are?" asked Grandma. "That's wonderful! Hopefully your visit here will enlighten you a bit more about the magical world."

"Me too," added David. "Other than what my grandma's told me about the Knights of the Dawn, my life has been pretty tame. It wasn't until my family went to the Fairbanks to meet Lance that I even got a chance to drink the milk and see the magical creatures that were there."

"Nice to see that's there more young blood out there," said Tanu with a pleased smile.

Moments later, Mrs. Sorenson called all the guests in to the dining room, where they were all seated at the table. To Seth and Kendra, this was no doubt the single-largest meal they had ever attended at Fablehaven. Among all the vegetables and stuffing that had been prepared earlier, two large turkeys had been cooked for everyone at the table.

Two more turkeys had also been prepared; one each for Raxtus and Geminus. Early on during the meal, Dale and Warren each brought a turkey outside, where they presented them to the two dragons, who were more than willing to share a few scraps with Vanessa.

Seth and Kendra were seated at one end of the table. Across from them sat Lance and David. The four kids were similar in age, as David was quick to reveal that he was currently fourteen years old.

Unfortunately, for Kendra, the three boys were mostly into talking about stuff she had limited interest in. It mostly had to do with either television shows or movies she didn't watch, video games or comic books. If they did talk about women, it was about how hot they felt certain celebrities were.

Kendra looked down at the other end of the table, where Bracken had been seated, along with Warren, Bright and Clover. With the boys not bothering to include her in their conversation, Kendra was starting to wish that she had been seated with her _other_ friends. They could care less about the stuff that the boys were currently blathering about.

Despite not being able to enjoy her company all that much, Kendra did in fact appreciate the meal. Everything had been cooked to perfection. The last time she had eaten food like this had been the previous Christmas, just before the Knight of the Dawn departed on their journey to Wyrmroost. Kendra did what she could to eat as slowly as possible, but refrained from eating too much altogether.

Eventually, dinner ended, and everyone retreated to the living room. Now that they weren't restricted to eating at the table, Kendra was free to do what she wanted.

"Bracken," said Kendra, tapping on the unicorn's shoulder, "did you want to go and sit out on the porch swing with me?"

"Huh?" asked Bracken, "Oh, sure! I'd love to!"

Kendra then led Bracken out onto the front porch, where they seated themselves on the swing and looked out at their view of the yard. The sun was setting in the west, giving the rest of the sky an almost purple-ish hue.

For what felt like forever, Kendra and Bracken sat with their arms wrapped around their shoulders, talking about events in their lives. Bracken was pleased to announce that the fairy shrine at Wyrmroost was nearly complete, and that that single project had kept the fairies busy for the past several months.

"Kendra," said Mrs. Sorenson through the front door, "are you going to come in anytime soon?"

Bracken gasped, "What time is it?"

Kendra glanced at her watch. "It's almost eleven!"

"Well, then," said Bracken, "I think I'd better get going. "My kind doesn't actually celebrate Thanksgiving. They'll want me back to work tomorrow morning. Sorry, Kendra!"

"That's okay," said Kendra, as Bracken went back inside to said goodbye to the others who were still inside. Afterwards, he came back out, hugged Kendra, and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Sorry to take off like this," said Bracken. "But duty calls. It was great to you see again!"

Letting go off Kendra, Bracken waved back to her, then hurried off through the woods back towards the naiad's pond.

"Come on, Kendra," said Mrs. Sorenson. "It's getting late."

"Sure, mom," said Kendra, as she followed her mother back inside. Inside the living room, Tanu was sitting on a couch, reading a newspaper. According to her parents, Tanu would be spending the night before returning back to his home.

At that point, Seth, Lance and David came running down the stairs, all laughing in joy. Amongst them all, they were holding several sleeping bags, plastic bags, pillows and even a Monopoly set.

"What are you guys doing?" asked Kendra.

"We're having a camp out in the backyard!" said Seth. "Mom says it's because we'd be too loud otherwise, but so what? Now we can be as loud as we want!"

"Don't be too loud," said Kendra. "Or the fairies will probably turn the three of you into squirrels."

"They'd do that?" asked Lance, who appeared to be in shock.

"Does it have to be squirrels?" asked David. "Why not dinosaurs, or super heroes?"

"The fairies aren't very cooperative with most people," replied Kendra. "Especially not someone like Seth. They have a tendency to do... things... to him."

"I am the walrus," said Seth, as he rolled his eyes. "But, we don't have to be _that_ loud, I suppose."

The two of them then ran off towards the back of the house and through the front door. Meanwhile, Kendra made her way upstairs and got ready for bed. Although her life had been relatively quiet, Kendra was in fact quite thankful for being able to enjoy Thanksgiving with her friends and family, even if the boys were being too goofy for her liking. Additionally, she was thankful that there was no evil force lurking about, forcing the Knights of the Dawn to assemble and risk their lives to stop it.

With that thought in her mind, Kendra plopped down on her bed and proceeded to fall asleep on a rather pleasant note. All was well in her life, and she couldn't be happier.


	2. Friend or Foe?

**Chapter 2: Friend or Foe?**

"You landed on North Carolina with a hotel!" blurted Seth, who was leaning with his legs crossed in front of a Monopoly board. "That'll be twelve seventy-five!"

"Aw man!" moaned Lance, as he thumbed through the money in his hand, which couldn't be any more than three-hundred dollars. "And most of my properties are already mortgaged!"

"If Seth didn't get me earlier," said David, "he wouldn't have taken my light blue set and have been able to fund housing on the greens."

"It was a good game, though," said Lance, as he helped the others tidy the board up. He, Seth and David had set up a tent in the back yard at Fablehaven, and had played through a somewhat lengthy game of Monopoly since then.

"It's getting kinda late," said Seth, feeling around for crumbs at the bottom of a potato chip bag. "Let's say call it a night, huh? We've got all weekend to mess around!"

The boys then cleaned up the tent a but, and before long, they were all lying down in their sleeping bags, all in a row.

"Night, guys," said Seth, as he proceeded to turn off the electric lantern that had been illuminating the tent.

"Wait," said David. "Uh, Seth. There's something I need to tell you."

"Really?" asked Seth. "What?"

"Well, it's kind of, well... personal."

Seth flinched. "We can go elsewhere if it's private. Lance can just stay in here."

"Lance knows," said David. "I just hope I can trust you. Based on what Lance had told me, you seemed like the best person to talk to."

"Well, what is it?"

David took in a deep breath. "Can you promise not to tell anyone else?"

Seth smirked. "What is it? Are you afraid of the dark?"

"He's serious," said Lance. "At least, that's what he told me."

"Seth," said David. "A couple of months ago, you were possessed by Navarog, right?"

"Uh, yeah," said Seth in acknowledgement. "Not something I like to boast about."

David squinted, then covered his eyes with his hand. "I've... been possessed too."

"What?" exclaimed Seth, who then shook his head. "Wait, if you've been possessed, whatever it is that's possessing you wouldn't go around announcing it, would they."

"I'm not kidding!" cried David. "I really have been possessed! Honest!"

"By what, then?"

"A demon."

Seth groaned. "Don't around like that. I was possessed by Navarog for over a month! It was a horrifying experience!"

"I'm not making this up! A demon really is possessing me!"

"You could be telling the truth," said Seth. "When I was possessed, Navarog tried to make me behave as normally as possible until he got the Drakesoul. But he made sure that no one else found out about him until it was too late."

"We need your help!" said Lance. "Can you help extract the demon from David?"

"That really isn't my forte," replied Seth. "Beside, why would this so-called _demon_ even let David seek a way to separate them?

"Because this demon is not an evil entity," stated David.

"There's no such thing as a good demon," said Seth. "A prime trait of any demon is that they all lack hearts and sympathy. Demons are ruthless monsters that seek power and will destroy anyone who stands in their way! But it's a good thing you sought help! If there really is a demon, maybe he just isn't powerful enough to fully control you, and we can extract him before he makes David do something bad."

"Please believe me," said David.

"I know," said Seth, as he took off a silver bracelet he had been wearing, then handed it to David. "Put this on."

"What'll this do?"

"Just put it on."

"Okay," said David, sliding the bracelet onto his wrist. He then screamed in pain, yanked the bracelet off and threw it back at Seth.

"What was that?" asked Lance.

"That," said Seth in amazement, "was a charm that nullifies dark energy. "If it truly made David scream like that, then there is, indeed, some dark force within him. My question is, where did it come from, and what does it want?"

"Maybe I should let _him_ explain," said David. Seth switched his gazed expression from David to Lance, and watched as Lance nodded in agreement.

"Seth," said David, in an otherwise normal voice. "This is the demon speaking. I understand that you must be confused, but please, hear me out."

Seth didn't know what to believe. Just a few minutes ago, David was laughing and acting all friendly towards him. Now he was claiming to be a demon!

"My name is Zavarok. I am the twin brother of Navarog."

Seth scowled in disbelief.

"Let me explain," continued David. "Though Navarog is my twin, his intentions and feelings are drastically different than my own."

"But, you're a demon!" gasped Seth. "Demons are incapable of all that is pure and good."

"I must confess," said David. "Though I am genetically identical to Navarog, I bear no evil intentions."

"You really think I'm _that_ stupid?" asked Seth. "I endured _Gavin_ and all of his crazy schemes. Now you want our help too? I oughtta tell my family about you right now!"

"Though I am a creature of darkness, I mean you no harm. Please."

"I think we better investigate your family history a little more," said Seth, as he got up and prepare to step out of the tent. "No repeat of Chuck Rose's phony history."

"Please, Seth," said Lance, grabbing him by the arm. "I believe him."

"I can't believe you're in on this too!" said Seth, trying to pull away.

"Evil has many forms," said Lance. "But neither Zavarok nor David are one of them."

"Seth, David isn't the problem," said David. "_I_ am. I've possessed David just like Navarog possessed you, but for a different reason."

"What's that?" asked Seth reluctantly, as he sat back down.

"Though Navarog is my twin, we have always despised each other. He'd have destroyed me eons ago had I not been as equally as powerful as him. Likewise, I didn't have the power to destroy him, nor would I have found the killing of another a viable punishment. However, I did assist several wizards in weakening him in his human form, allowing him to be contained within the Quiet Box."

_So that was how Navarog wound up in the Quiet Box in the first place_, Seth thought to himself, assuming _David_ was telling the truth.

"Why have I never heard of you?" asked Seth. "Navarog controlled me for more than a month, but he never spoke of you. And for that matter, why are you posing as David? Or is this your actual form?"

"While Navarog was a tyrant, I kept to myself. But when you're a massive, intimidating dragon, you tend to not get much good publicity. I was also afraid that people would mistake me for Navarog, so I normally stuck to my human form, something that Navarog greatly disliked. I waited for the opportunity when Navarog was a human himself to knock him out long enough to be placed within the Quiet Box."

"Is your human form the same as... _Gavin's_?"

David nodded. "Seeing as how we are identical twins, yes. Or at least, it was. The previous summer, Navarog was released from the quiet box and immediately sought revenge on me for originally trapping him. He killed my human form, but my spirit lingered about."

The thought reminded Seth of how Navarog had undergone a similar experience back when Raxtus had eaten _Gavin_.

"Okay, so how did you wind up with David?" asked Seth. "Navarog specially targeted me due to my shadow charmer attributes."

"That's the thing. I'm not a malevolent entity myself, so I didn't need a dark figure for a host. I only assumed a host so that I would have a way to interact with the world. As for why that host happened to be David, it was mostly due to chance. After Navarog destroyed me, I followed him around, hoping to find someone with the capacity to defeat him. Posing as Gavin, Navarog joined the Knights of the Dawn. One woman in particular, Estelle Smith, was assigned to work closely with Gavin. However, she was elderly and not an adventurer. Hoping to use her as a connection, I followed her back to her home and learned of her grandson, David, who was anxious to join the Knights of the Dawn. However, I made a terrible mistake. Once I assumed David's body, it's been impossible to escape it."

"I get it," said Seth. "But why didn't you tell anyone the truth about Gavin?"

"Because they'd have thought I was crazy. That or they'd have penalized me for possessing an innocent boy. David had no real influence amongst the Knights. He wouldn't have been ready to join until finishing high school."

"So what did you plan to do?" asked Seth.

"My only hope was to wait out my time until David could properly join the Knights, and find a solution from within. I learned about the Knights' exploits throughout the month, and when I heard about the whole incident involving Navarog and the instruments of eternal power, I was hoping maybe that would solve my problem."

"What do you want, exactly?" asked Seth.

"I just want to be separated from David. Later on, I overheard that the crew at Fablehaven was trying to save the instruments of eternal power from the Society. Since Lance had gotten caught up in the whole experience, and needed a home, I convinced David's parents to adopt Lance once the opportunity arose."

"Convinced them?" asked Seth. "Lance was only at Fablehaven for a couple of days. When I was younger, I asked my parents if we could have a dog for years, but they never gave in."

"I... admit that I cheated," said David. "While I am not evil, my dark essence can subdue others. It _helped _David's parents decide to adopt Lance. At first, I saw Lance as little more than a source of information and a potential ticket to Fablehaven. But since he joined the family, I've learned to love him and care for him."

At that moment, Seth threw his arms into the air. "Look, I don't know who to believe now. I can see that you're possessed, the bracelet kinda proved that. But, a demon is still a demon."

"Please," said David. "I'm really not that keen on being stuck within someone else's body."

"And just how do you expect me to get you out of David?" asked Seth. "It took the power of the Omega Star to ultimately separate me from Navarog. And don't think I can just go and ask the fairies to lend them to me. They're not exactly running a library, and being a shadow charmer, I am not on the best of terms with most of them."

"Why not ask Kendra?" asked Lance. "The fairies _will_ listen to her, would they not?

"Same reason we can't ask anyone else here for help," retorted David. "If I told anybody else here that I'm a _demon _who needs rescuing, they'd... they'd..."

"David?" asked Seth. "I mean... Zavarok?"

"I give up. Seth's the only one here who can sympathize with me."

"Well, don't give up," said Seth. "The main reason why separating me from Navarog was so hard was because Navarog was an uncooperative monster."

"You still think they'd help a demon? Especially one who has the privilege of being Navarog's twin brother?"

"And where would you go after being freed from David?" asked Seth. "If we can't use the Omega Star to restore your body, where are you supposed to linger?"

"I don't care about that. This whole thing was a mistake in the first place. I was dead. Only a true demon would've possessed an innocent soul."

"You helped me find a loving home," said Lance. "That's gotta count for something."

"Well, what do you want me to do?" asked Seth. "Asking for the Omega Star would just be out of the question."

"You said earlier that you're not on best terms with _most_ of the fairies," stated David. "Are there any that you _are_ on good terms with?"

"Only three. Bright and Clover I get along with well enough, but I could never just convince them to help out with something like this. Besides, their magic might not even be powerful to work on you."

"Who's the third?" asked Lance.

"Umbriel," said Seth, tapping a silver ring he was wearing on his right ring finger.

"Umbriel? I don't remember her."

"She's my fairy guardian. Because Kendra got abducted by Matthew and Ashley, after that whole ordeal was over with, it was decided that Kendra and I should have something in case of an emergency. She's not very powerful, but she's the only fairy who's willing to do almost anything I say."

"You think maybe she could help?" asked David, his face suddenly lit up.

"It's worth a try," said Seth, as he formed a fist with his right hand. He then clenched his eyes, and suddenly, a dark blue pulse of light emanated from his ring. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a small, raven-haired fairy with blue, angelic wings and a matching navy blue dress, shot out of the ring, and it hovered before Seth.

The fairy let out a rather loud yawn. "Seth," she moaned, "it's the middle of the night! How am I supposed to get my beauty rest if you wake me up like this?"

"Umbriel," said Seth. "These two folks are my friends. However, David here has a problem."

Umbriel turned to face David. "Look, if someone here is snoring, there's not a whole lot I can do about it. Don't you humans have doctors for that sort of thing?"

"It's not that," stated Seth. "David's been possessed by a demon, and we need you to try and extract it from him."

"A demon? Are you crazy? I ought to report you!"

"Please don't!" gasped David, as he poked his head towards the fairy, who then backed away.

"Umbriel, no!"

"There's definitely something peculiar about that boy!" cried Umbriel, whose tiny body had been pressed against the inner wall of the tent. "I can't go near him!"

"Look, can you just calm down and help?"

"No way," said Umbriel. "I've sensed a dark vibe coming from that boy, and now I feel repulsed! It's like some supernatural force is keeping me away!"

Holding his hand in a fist, Seth aimed his ring at Umbriel. A ray of blue light shot out of the ring at Umbriel, pulling her back in.

"No wonder," said David. "Umbriel isn't as powerful as say Bright, Clover or those fairy dragons, right?"

"With all due respect, her power is somewhat limited," said Seth.

"Well, that's why Vanessa cried when I approached her. The fairy angels and adult dragons are strong enough to resist my dark vibe. However, an underdeveloped fairy being like Vanessa was vulnerable. That's why she shied away from me, just like Umbriel did."

"Seth, are you sure you can't get any other fairies to help us with this?" asked Lance.

"I doubt it," said Lance, "Umbriel is the only fairy who's loyal to me, and that's only due to her agreement. And we just saw that she's unable to tolerate Zavarok's dark vibe."

"What do we do now?" asked David. "Should we just try asking Bright and Clover? See if maybe they'd understand?"

"I still wouldn't trust them with something like this," replied Seth. "Fairies and demons are sworn enemies. Even if they did manage to extract you from David, the fairies might destroy you with their magic, even if by doing so unintentionally."

"There's gotta be another solution," said Lance. "Like, what happened to all the other demons who would up like Zavarok and Navarog?"

"Demons spirits are immortal," said Seth. "The only way to get rid of a demon is to trap one or expel it somehow. I know nothing about extracting one from another being."

"So is Zavarok trapped inside David forever?" asked Lance.

"Only until David dies. Then he'll be free."

"Well, I'm not sending David to an early grave," said David. "In fact, I don't want to be around when that happens anyway."

"We may not have a choice," said Lance, placing his arm around David's shoulder.

"I admit," said Seth, "that I am not the go-to person for this sort of thing. Although I am a shadow charmer, matters like this are pretty much out of my league."

"Well, who _would_ know more about this matter?" asked Lance.

"Possibly my grandfather. Maybe we can get some more information from him."

"Why would your grandfather of all people be willing to help us?" asked Lance. "I've heard stories from you about how he used to punish you at the drop of a hat!"

"We'll, we're not going to get any help from my grandpa directly," stated Seth. "But maybe the answer we're looking for can be found in his study."


	3. Renegades

**Chapter 3: Renegades**

Flashlights in hand, Seth led both Lance and David out of the tent and across the backyard, towards the back door of the main house. The area was completely silent. Normally at this late hour, Seth would've been able to spot the occasional fairy whizzing around. But tonight the entire yard appeared to be completely mute.

The trio entered through the back door into the kitchen. From there, Seth brought the other into the hallway, and up to a door that proved to be locked the moment Seth twisted the handle.

"What's in there?" asked David in a whispering voice.

"It's my grandpa's study," replied Seth. "I normally keep out of this place, so I forgot that he normally keeps it locked.

"Where's the key?" asked Lance.

Seth squinted his eyes, then stroked his eyebrows. "We don't need the stupid key. Watch this."

Seth proceeded to release Umbriel from his ring. The exhausted fairy hovered in front of him, looking exhausted.

"Now what?" she asked crankily.

"I need you to unlock this door for us."

Umbriel looked at the door, then turned back and faced Seth. "Whadda ya wanna go in there for?"

"I'm looking for something," said Seth. "And I can't wake Grandpa or I'll get in trouble."

"Fine, whatever," said Umbriel. She turned back towards the door and unleashed a stream of blue sparkles from her hands. The sparkles made contact with the lock, and soon a clicking sound was heard.

"There, you happy?" asked Umbriel. "I'm not a toy, you know."

"Thank you!" whispered Seth, as he proceeded to draw Umbriel back into his ring.

"You're wel-" was all Umbriel managed to say before she was forced back into the ring.

Seth then twisted the doorknob and pushed the door inwards, revealing to Lance and David Grandpa Sorenson's private study.

"Cool!" said Lance, as he and David scoped the decor out with their flashlights.

"What are we looking for, anyway?" asked David, as Seth closed the door behind them rather lightly.

"Any information at all about getting getting you out of David's body. Or Zavarok out of _your_ body. Who am I talking to, anyway?"

"David. Unless _he_ says so otherwise, Zavarok lets me be in control of my own body."

"This is weird," said Seth, as he pulled the chain on the banker's lamp that sat upon his grandfather's desk. The light that emitted from the lamp was enough to brighten the room to the point where the boys could switch off their flashlights. Seth then directed his friends over to the bookshelf, which took up nearly an entire wall of the study. From there, he began skimming the spines of the various books.

"Any idea what books in here we should look for?" asked Lance.

Seth shook his head. "Beats me. I'm not the kind of guy who spends more time in a library than what's absolutely necessary , but it's not like we really have a choice here."

After a minute or so of searching, Seth had pulled three books from the shelves. He handed one each to Lance and David, then kept the third one to himself. "These are books about demons. I know the others weren't able to extract Navarog from my body the proper way, so it's possible that they never looked for an answer that didn't involve making a wish.

"I really hope there is a way that isn't a near impossibility," said David, as he sat down on the couch and opened up his book.

Seth sat down in the office chair that was in front of Grandpa Sorenson's desk, then placed the book he was holding down in front of him. The book itself appeared to be quite old, and bore the title "_Demon Legends_".

The three boys all glanced through the books they had assigned themselves to. Seth eagerly speed-read his way through _Demon Legends_, hoping to find a solution to their problem. Most of what Seth did discover actually seemed to be legitimately interesting, though it all appeared to not hold any answer as far as seperating David and Zavarok was concerned.

As far as any of the boys' research went, none of them found any information whatsoever on separating demons from hosts. While they did in fact discover many cases of demons possessing various people and other creatures, not one of the examples had a happy ending. Either the possessed victim was killed somehow, or they were never seen again. Even Lance, who had been given an informative book entitled "_Demons of the Worl_d", couldn't dig up any answers.

"This isn't any help," said David, closing the the back cover of his book. "It's like the process of exorcising a demon doesn't even exist!

"Would a typical exorcism work on demon, maybe?" asked Lance.

"I doubt it," replied Seth. "See, unlike actual ghosts, demons are not undead. What happened with Navarog and Zavarok was that both of them were destroyed in their human forms, allowing their spirits to linger on without actually dying. Thing is, most demons are not part dragon, and as such, aren't able to inhabit secondary forms like that, which is why we've been having so much trouble finding any information.

"David," said Lance, "do you know why Zavarok and Navarog even have demonic traits in the first place?"

"I do," answered David. "Their mother was a dragon who just so happened to have intentions. However, their father was in fact an actual demon. Somehow, the mother managed to get pregnant, despite the fact they were of two different species."

"I... never knew that," said Seth. "I was forced to put up with Navarog all that time, yet I never learned anything about his past."

"Okay, so I get why Navarog earned his "demon prince" title," said Lance. "But that still doesn't explain why Zavarok been acting so nice."

"Zavarok's either very smart, or very stupid," stated Seth. "He could be deceiving us. But if we have knowledge of his existence, we can easily stop him."

"Please," moaned David. "Zavarok is not an evil demon. I know it sounds crazy, but you've got to believe me!"

"Demons in general don't exactly have a good reputation," noted Seth. "What's so special about Zavarok?"

"He's not like other demons!" exclaimed David. "I know I can't prove anything, but at least give me a chance!"

"Look, you could spend all night telling me why Zavarok is such a goody two-shoes, but at the end of the day, demons are pure evil. Navarog was evil. Graulus was evil. Nagi Luna, Gorgrog, I could go on, they're _all_ evil! Come on, Lance. Let's tell the others before things get out of hand."

"But Seth," said Lance, as Seth walked towards the door. "David may be possessed, but he's my brother. I love him."

"It's not David I'm mad at. It's Zavarok. We'll get some _real_ help, and then we can have that demon transported to Zzyzx by breakfast.

As Seth placed his hand on the doorknob, Lance tapped his shoulder. Without saying anything, Seth looked back at David. The poor boy was sitting on the couch, and had started to cry.

"David," said Seth. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. We'll get rid of Zavarok and you can be perfectly normal again.

"It's Zavarok who's crying," sobbed David, as he wiped some tears from his eyes."You're not even giving him a chance."

"Well what am I supposed to do?" asked Seth. "He's a demon! They're not worth the risk!"

"Zavarok is different," said David. "Please try to understand."

"Maybe there's some information on Zavarok in one of these books!" said Lance. "Can we at least try to find information on him before throwing in the towel?"

Seth groaned. "Fine. But we looked through those demon books and there wasn't any mention of Zavarok, let alone anything about Navarog."

"Let's try looking up some information in books about dragons," said David, as he wiped away the rest of his tears with a tissue.

Seth got around to returning the three demon books back onto their shelves, then proceeded to seek and pull out some books pertaining to dragons.

"I hope we find something," said Seth, as he began thumbing through the book that lay before him. "I'm finding this _Zavarok_ thing hard to believe, and without any concrete information on his past, this is getting kind of frustrating."

"I know how you must feel," said David. "But I can sense Zavarok's thoughts. If only there was some way to prove that he isn't a bad individual. At least, not on purpose."

"I can't find any mention of Zavarok in this book," said Lance, stroking several pages from his book with his fingers. "Maybe he wasn't all that prominent, which would be plausible given that David's told us that he' isn't evil. There's no way they could've documented the exploits of every dragon to ever live."

"Maybe there's information under Navarog," said David, flipping through the pages of his book.

Seth then turned to a section of his book that talked about Navarog extensively. He began reading the opening paragraph, only for his eyes to light up upon reading something that grabbed his attention.

"I found something!" blurted Seth, who began to read the book aloud. "Navarog is believed to have an identical twin brother. However, the name of this twin is currently unknown. The brother's allegiance is unknown, as he may or may not be an accomplice of his brother. He has never been spotted alongside Navarog, so this rumor remains unconfirmed."

David winced. "Is that all?"

"I know it's not much," said Lance. "But it's something."

"Okay," said Seth. "I'll believe David. But I still don't know if I should entirely trust him. From a neutral standpoint, it seems risky."

"David, maybe we can find more information in our books," said Seth.

"It's worth a try," said David. "I mean, I wouldn't be learning anything, but at least it'd be more proof, to say the least."

The trio continued searching through several more dragon books. Of the remaining books, only one more made any mention of Navarog having a brother, but it had proven to be even less informative than the first.

After the boys had finished digging up what little information they could on Navarog, they then placed the books on dragons back into their spots on the shelf.

"So, where do we go from here?" asked Lance.

"Well, it's obvious that between the three of us, none of us have the means to extract Zavarok from David," replied Seth. "And I'm still wary about this whole situation myself. It's just that, well... even though there's no proof to Zavarok's allegiance, I still sympathize with David. It's just the way he's been acting. It seems so sincere. Then again, Gavin was friendly too."

David took in a deep breath. "I understand. I know full well that demons are entities of darkness. But Zavarok is different. I wanted to prove that he wasn't evil, but those books of your grandfather's didn't have an answer.

"I believe that everyone is an individual, responsible for their own actions," said Seth. "But when it comes to demons, that's a different story. A good demon is completely unheard of. An oxymoron. But, I guess there's a lot of life that we still don't know."

Lance looked at Seth and David, then turned his head over towards the bookcase. "Well, I don't think we're going to find any more answers from these books. But, if these books don't have the answer... who does?"

"The only people I'd trust are all either fairies, or they're aligned with the Knights of the Dawn," stated Seth. "And with my grandfather as the captain of the whole group, nothing we'd do would get past him."

"I'm almost tempted to just fess up," said David. "I don't want Zavarok to suffer, but maybe putting the demon out of his misery would be the best long-term solution."

"Yeah, but what if they're unable, or unwilling, to separate you two?" asked Seth. "Then David might suffer as well, even though he's innocent."

"Well, who else can you trust that wouldn't rat us out?" asked Lance.

"They'd have to be powerful," said David. "Have no affiliation with the Knights of the Dawn. Oh, and it would help if they actually knew what to do."

"Good luck with that," said Lance.

Seth began to think to himself, trying to envision someone he knew that fit David's description. However, just about everyone he could actually trust was loyal to the Knights of the Dawn. Bracken? No, he was a unicorn, and no doubt despised demons. Warren? Sure, he lacked power, but maybe he had connections? Probably not.

Suddenly, an idea hit Seth like a ton of bricks. "I know!" he exclaimed.

"Who?" exclaimed David anxiously.

"The Singing Sisters! They can find information about anything! They helped Vanessa and me locate Vasilis back when the Society was trying to open Zzyzx."

"Are they Knights?" asked Lance.

"No."

"Wait a minute," said David. "They'll just tell you anything you want to know? What's the catch?"

Seth stopped to think for a moment, then smacked his forehead. "Aw geez! I almost forgot! The Singing Sisters don't just dispense information for nothing! You need to make a bargain with them."

"Well, you did it before, right?" asked Lance. "What'd it cost you?"

"Vasilis and a favor of their choosing come April next year. Or I die."

"What?" asked David, his mouth lowered in awe.

"You heard me. That's the price for their information. It's an invaluable commodity and they know it."

"Zavarok wants to go," said David. "The sooner, the better."

"The Singing Sisters don't exactly live around the block," said Seth. "Their home is all the way in Missouri, near the Mississippi River."

"Great," muttered Lance. "It's not like we can just run over there anytime. We live all the way down in Florida."

"And at the end of next week, we've gotta go back to school," said David. "We can't just take a trip to Missouri."

Seth suddenly smiled. "Lucky for you guys, I have a knack for being sneaky."

"What are you talking about?" asked Lance.

"I've broken curfews plenty of times. I once snuck into Grunhold and swiped their unicorn horn after my bedtime. Then I secretly followed along when the Knights went to Wyrmroost. Ended up saving their butts in the long run. Normally, I'd have gotten in huge trouble for all this, but I got off easy since it was for a good cause. And if there really is a way to free Zavarok from David, I'm all for it!"

"Ok," said Lance. "Now how do we get to the Singing Sisters? We can't drive there."

"Take a bus, maybe?" asked David.

"Hold on," said Seth. "You guys _really_ want to go through with this? Without telling the others"

Lance and David looked at each other, then nodded.

Seth laughed. "You guys are all right!"

"I'm only agreeing to this, since it may be the only way to help David," noted Lance. "If something goes awry, we're gonna be grounded for like a hundred years!"

"Maybe we can also ask the sisters if they know a way to keep our parents from killing us once we get back," said David. "But seriously, Seth, how do you plan to get all the way to Missouri?"

"Simple. We'll ride Raxtus."

"Isn't he a fairy dragon?" asked Lance. "He's not just gonna fly us to Missouri, especially if he knows _why_ we want to go there."

"We may have to bend the rules a bit to employ Raxtus' help," said Seth. "I mean, I hate to do this sort of thing to a friend, but it's for our own good."

"There's no way you'll get Raxtus to help us," said David. "It's too convoluted."

"There might be a way," said Seth. "In the meantime, I'm going to find the exact coordinates to the Singing Sisters' home. I know that it's around here somewhere, since I'll need it later."

"Seth, tell us, do you really have to go back to the Singing Sisters on your own terms?" asked Lance.

Seth nodded. "I do. It's to do with an enchantment they placed on me when I made my bargain with them."

"Were you really that desperate for their help?" asked David.

"Unfortunately. Without their help, we probably never would have found Vasilis, and ultimately, never would have stopped the demons of Zzyzx. This whole world would be a hellish nightmare right now if we didn't have Vasilis on our side.

"That's pretty serious," said David. "And to think that I only want the sisters' advice to help myself and Zavarok."

"Maybe the sisters will go easy on you," said Lance. "Considering that you want their help for something on a much smaller scale."

"What's your favor going to be like, Srth?" asked David.

"No clue," said Seth "And I'm not exactly anxious to find out, even though it's going to be inevitable down the road. They may ask for me to conquer a country. Or they might ask me to do their shopping. I don't know. But let's concentrate on the issue at hand for now. I'll look for the directions to the Sleeping Sisters, and then write a note explaining where we're going, which we'll leave behind. Then, before everyone else wakes up, we'll get Raxtus' help and take off for the Singing Sisters before breakfast."


	4. Planning

**Chapter 4: Planning**

Seth groaned tiredly, as he opened up his weary eyes. A pulsating beep was emanating from somewhere near his head. He turned his head towards the continuous beeping, and gazed directly at his digital wristwatch. The alarm had gone off, and the face currently read 5:00 AM, just as Seth had programmed it to do so prior to falling asleep.

Also lying in the tent with Seth, both Lance and David woke up to the sound of his watch's alarm.

"Aw, shut that thing off," said Lance. "It's loud!"

"Okay, okay," said Seth, as he picked up the watch and pressed the alarm button, deactivating it in the process.

"Are we ready to go now?" asked David.

"Almost," replied Seth. "First, we gotta go back in the house and pack a few things. Then, if my plan works, we'll be on our way."

Seth made his way out of the tent, with Lance and David following close behind. As Seth emerged into he could see that it was still dark outside, and that the entire area was relatively quiet.

Seth led the Smith boys through the backyard, and over towards the back door to the house. Entering the back door, the boys made their way into the kitchen, which was still fairy inside.

"Where's the light switch?" asked Lance, scanning one of the walls with his flashlight.

"No," whispered Seth. "If we don't wanna get caught, we've gotta keep as quiet, and as dark, as possible. Just use your flashlight to look around."

"What should we do now?" asked David.

"Well, you guys are already mostly packed, right? Everything's in your suitcases, correct? Well, I've gotta get my things together. You guys stay down here and look for prepared food we can bring along with us."

"Got it," said Lance, as Seth made his way through the kitchen and into the front hall.

Seth eventually turned off his flashlight by the time he had made his way to the bottom of the stairs. Although it was still dark in the house, Seth was more than used to sneaking his way around the place, even when he should've otherwise been in bed.

Seth ventured up to the second floor, and began walking down the hallway. Part of him was afraid that someone was just waiting to pop out of their room and catch him in the act, although if that were to actually happen, Seth reminded himself that his shade walking ability might just kick in, rendering him invisible to the observer.

Seth entered his room, closed the door behind him as lightly as possible, then flicked on his flashlight. He pulled a large backpack out from his closet, then proceeded to fill it with several changes of clothes. Once that was done, he turned off his flashlight again and left the room. Seth then crept over to the bathroom, grabbed his toiletries, then softly made his way downstairs, carrying his loaded backpack with him.

As Seth returned to the kitchen, he walked in to see that Lance and David were in the midst of filling up a bag with what appeared to were cereal bars.

"Whoa," gasped Lance, as he shone his flashlight at Seth. "I didn't see you come in!"

David gasped as well. "What if it had been someone else?"

"How're you guys doing?" asked Seth.

"Great," whispered David. "We've got like three bags full of granola bars, fruit bars, jerky sticks and juice boxes. Some of that walrus butter, too."

"Nice. But don't worry, we can always pick up food elsewhere. I've been entrusted with a special credit card from the Knights of the Dawn."

"Is that a good idea?" asked Seth. "Using it, that is. I mean, if we're on the run, your family will either cut off the card, or track us down if you use it somewhere."

Seth groaned. "I don't have a lot of money. We'll only try the card if we're desperate, okay? But before we go, I'll leave behind a note, let the others at least know what's going on."

Seth then grabbed a pad of paper, along with a pen from atop the kitchen counter, and proceeded to scrawl down a note. He then tore the top sheet off the pad and placed it face up on the counter.

"Okay," said David. "Now, you think we can get going, already?"

"Almost," said Seth, as he made his way out through the back door, prompting for the other two boys to follow his lead. "There's still one more step, and if this doesn't work, it'll make our trip much, much, trickier."

Seth led Lance and David across the backyard and into the forest. Near the edge of the forest from where they entered was a small cave, probably no larger than Seth's own bedroom, where Raxtus, Geminus and even little Vanessa, were curled up into a small mound of dragons, sleeping silently.

"What's your plan?" asked David, as he gazed into the miniature dragon's den.

"Well, we're going to need help from a dragon for our trip," stated Seth. "However, the only dragons around here that I'd trust with anything happen to be fairy dragons. And the last thing a _fairy_ dragon would ever do would be to help a demon. Also, they'd get suspicious if you keep the truth from them."

"What are you saying?" asked Lance.

"We're going to have to trick Raxtus," said Seth, as he summoned Umbriel from his ring.

As the fairy appeared, she turned to face Seth, displaying a scowl on her face. "What time is it?" she snarled.

"Uh, five thirteen," replied Seth, having just glanced at his watch.

"Five? Five? What do you think I am? A machine?"

"I really need your help. You're the only one who can help me!"

"If you need _my_ help," began Umbriel, "then of course I'm the only one who can help you! Hmmph! What'd I ever do to get stuck with this brat?"

"Please," said Seth, "I need you to mesmerize Raxtus so that he'll openly listen to me."

"Mesmerize Raxtus?" shrieked Umbriel. "Now that's low, even for you! Why would I ever do that?"

"It's... complicated," said Seth. "Now will you do it?"

"You know I'm not supposed to do stuff like that to trusted allies," exclaimed Umbriel. "Now let me go back to sleep and don't bug me for a week!"

"If you refuse to help me," said Seth, "I'll have you returned. And you can kiss your shot of being a fairy angel goodbye."

"I'll tell them what you're trying to make me do."

"And I'll say that you're the worst... no, the second-worst fairy I've ever had to deal with! Maybe then they'll lighten up and assign me a nicer fairy to replace you with!"

"You really are a selfish punk," said Umbriel, as she fluttered into the cave. She then conjured up some navy blue magic in her hands and expelled them at Raxtus' head, which seemingly absorbed it all.

"There," said Umbriel sternly, as she retreated out of the cave. "I've mesmerized Raxtus so that he'll obey you for one whole day. That's it. Took almost everything out of me! You better be happy."

"I hope you're right," said Seth.

"Good. Now leave me alone."

Seth then recalled Umbriel into his ring.

"Man, what is her problem?" asked Lance. "I thought fairies, with the exception of Oblivion, were friendly."

"Well, Umbriel is one of those _exceptions_," said Seth. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she practically is a dark fairy. Why else would they assign her to a shadow charmer like me? But hey, the more she helps me, the closer she gets to becoming a fairy angel. It's her decision. Come on, let's go check on Raxtus."

Seth crept into the cave, with Lance and David following close behind. They stopped in front of Raxtus' head, which was resting upon the dragon's own curled up arms.

"Raxtus," said Seth softly. Receiving no response, Seth knelt down and prepared to whisper into the side of Raxtus' head, were his ears would've been, provided dragons even had ears. How else could dragons even hear?

"Raxtus," whispered Seth, hoping that he wouldn't wake Geminus and Vanessa. "Please, wake up."

The fairy dragon grumbled, before yawning, stretching his neck upwards, and opening his eyes. Once they were opened, the boys were able to see that Raxtus' eyes appeared to be somewhat dilated.

"What is it?" groaned Raxtus wearily.

"Raxtus," said Seth, "I... need you to exit this cave."

"Okay," said Raxtus, as he proceeded to stand up on his hind legs and marched out of the cave.

"It worked," said Lance in astonishment, as he and the other boys followed Raxtus out of the cave. The three boys then looked up at Raxtus' head. He still held a blank look on his face, and appeared to be in a daze.

"Raxtus," said David. "Uh, you okay?"

The fairy dragon just stood there, opting to totally ignore David.

"Great," said Lance. "He isn't listening."

"Well, yeah." said Seth. "I guess the enchantment was for Raxtus to obey _me_. I had to keep it keep it simple. Umbriel's power only goes so far."

"Is Raxtus really under your control?" asked David. "What if he's just playing along or something?"

"You've got a point," said Seth, as he glanced up at the dragon. "He seems loyal enough, but let's try something else. Raxtus, stand on one foot."

Without hesitation, Raxtus lifted one of his feet off the the ground and held in the air. His body remained near-motionless, although he was clearly still alive and breathing.

"You can put it down now," said Seth. Raxtus responded only by returning his raised talon back on the ground.

"Will he really do anything?" asked Lance.

"If he's anything like Hugo or Mendigo, I'll assume that yes, he can. So long as it's in his power. But check this out. Raxtus, turn invisible."

At that moment, Raxtus used his power to render himself invisible. Although Seth was acting casual about the whole ordeal, Lance in David were in awe. Their jaws had lowered in amazement.

"Incredible," said Lance, as he and David placed their hands upon and felt the invisible dragon's body.

"How'd you,,, or maybe it's he, do that?" asked David.

Seth laughed. "It's okay. Raxtus has always been able to do that."

"Cool!" said Lance. "I guess it's been a while since I saw anything amazing like that."

"Raxtus, become visible again."

As if on cue, Raxtus made his body reappear.

"So far, so good," said David. "I'm guessing that this enchantment really is legit. I just hope it lasts."

"Well, Umbriel said _one full day_," said Seth. In her terms, I hope that means a full twenty-four hours.

"What'll we do once the enchantment wears off?" asked David. "I mean, this whole thing could easily take more than a day. And if Raxtus ditches us when it wears off, what'll we do then?"

"I don't know," replied Seth. "But we should at least be able to get an answer from the Singing Sisters within a day. They won't remedy the problem entirely, but at least we'll know more than we do now."

"Couldn't you just have Umbriel mesmerize Raxtus again right after the first enchantment wears off?" asked David.

"Umbriel's magic is only so powerful," said Seth. "If it wears off, it's because Raxtus' body will have built up an immunity to it. Re-enchanting him may not work."

"Hold on a moment," said Lance. "Once everyone here wakes up and notices that we're gone, they'll come after us, won't they?"

"It's not like they know where we're going," said Seth. "I didn't write that down on the note. I'm not _that _dense."

"But, your sister has connections to the Fairy Realm," said Lance. "If she tattles on us, they could use the Omega Star to bring us back here and deal with us."

"And I bet they'll do something awful to Zavarok," said David. "Or maybe even me."

"I guess this'll never work" said Seth. "No way Raxtus can get us all the way to the Singing Sisters before the others wake up. And then we have to actually solve the whole problem using their information. Yeah, they'll get the Omega Star assembled by then."

"Maybe we should just stay here," said Lance. "This whole plan is stupid and dangerous."

"A lot of my plans in the past seemed that way," said Seth, "but they worked out in the end. I know what I'm doing."

"Yeah, but there was no Omega Star for your family work with back then," said David. "Maybe, we should just try this whole thing tomorrow night instead."

"They'd only use the Omega Star as a last resort," said Seth. "It's not like the fairies will just give it to us any old time we ask for it. If we hurry, we might be able to accomplish our mission before things get out of hand."

"Anything else?" asked Lance, looking around.

"Can't think of anything," said Seth. "If you guys are ready. Raxtus, bend down so that we can climb onto your back."

As Raxtus bent down in front of Seth, David turned around and looked back into the cave at Geminus and Vanessa, who were still sleeping. Vanessa was curled up next to her mother's body.

"What about them, guys?"

"I'm sorry," said Seth. "But they'd side with the rest of my family for sure. They'd never approve of Raxtus being brainwashed into doing our dirty work. I feel bad about it myself, but I really don't see any other choice, here."

"Seth," said David, placing his hands upon the shadow charmer's shoulders. "I need to know. Why are you so willing to trust me?"

Seth shrugged. "I don't know. It just feels right."

"Anyone else would've gone crazy and probably would've done something hurtful. Yet you're much more understanding. Is it because you're a shadow charmer?"

"I don't know," said Seth. "I _am_ immune to dark vibes that would affect most other people. But Lance seems okay knowing the truth."

"After all I've been through, this doesn't seem like a huge deal," said Lance. "The revelation didn't freak me like you'd think it would."

"But Seth," continued David, "there's just this feeling I get from you. Like you're someone I can trust. Even though I've barely know you at all."

Seth scratched his head. "It may very well be because I am a shadow charmer. The thought of a demon, let alone one who happens to be the twin brother of Navarog, possessing you, would no doubt intimidate most people.

"But you've been so willing to help me," said David. "I know that my story seems crazy, and that you do have the choice of not helping me, or even turning me over. But instead, you're willing to side with me. Why is that?"

"I had to share a body with Navarog myself," said Seth. "And for the longest time, no one was able to help me, or was even aware of the situation. I can't stand to see anyone else suffer a similar fate, much less someone like you."

"But why do you trust me?" asked David.

"I... I guess it's because, you've been so honest," replied Seth. "When Navarog was in control of me, he had me telling lies left and right just to get whatever it was he wanted. And he never let me take any real control. He was so ruthless. And Lance here was controlled by the Society as well. I don't want anything like that to ever happen to you."

"There's one thing I don't get," said Lance. "If Zavarok is a demon, then why is he being so nice? From what Seth's been telling us, demons are essentially heartless."

"I don't know," replied David. "Zavarok's always been this way. I know he's a demon by blood, but he does in fact have a good heart. I know I can't prove it to you guys, but you've just gotta trust me."

"I'm willing to give you a fair chance," said Seth. "But I'm afraid that it still doesn't prove anything. I've trusted many people in the past. Some were good. Some weren't. But unlike humans, demons are pure evil. It's their nature. What makes Zavarok so special?"

"Again, I don't know," said David. "Maybe I should just tell everything to the others in the morning. Let them decide what to do with me."

"But they might punish Zavarok, along with you," said Lance. "Come on, David. We've gone to this much trouble already. Let's not back out now."

"I'm sorry," said Seth. "If Zavarok really is a part of you, he seems all right. For a demon. I guess we'll give you a chance."

Seth then climbed up onto Raxtus' back, and signalled for Lance and David to join him, which they eagerly did. With their belongings on them, the boys were all ready to take off.

"Okay, Raxtus," said Seth. "We're ready. We've got to travel to Missouri, which is southwest from here. Let's go!"

"You've got it," said Raxtus, as he flapped his wings and leaped into the air, initiating the start of the boys' long journey.


	5. A Fairy Affair

**Chapter 5: A Fairy Affair**

Early that following morning, Kendra woke up to the sound of voices booming into her bedroom from the first floor below. Even though she was two floors above, sound travelled fairly well throughout the house. Kendra yawned as she rolled out of bed, then made her way down to the second floor.

As she walked towards the bathroom, she was able to make out that the adults of the family had to be arguing about something. Part of Kendra wanted to find out what was going on, the other felt that she shouldn't go sticking her nose in other people's business.

Kendra entered the bathroom and washed up, then went back to her room, where she changed into her clothes for the day. Regardless of her view the argument, she would have to go downstairs anyway in order to get breakfast.

"Well I don't know what he expects us to do!" blurted Mr. Sorenson's voice from the kitchen, as Kendra made her way downstairs. She continued onwards into the kitchen, where her parents, grandparents, Warren, Dale and Tanu were all standing around.

"What's going on here?" asked Kendra, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about.

"Did Seth tell you about this, Kendra?" asked Grandpa.

"About what?"

Grandpa sighed. "Seth took off with Lance and David last night. They left Fablehaven."

Kendra dropped her jaw. "They left? What do you mean?"

"Read this," said Grandpa, handing a note to Kendra, which she began to read to herself upon sitting down on a stool.

_Dear family and friends_

_David confessed to me that he has been possessed by Zavarok, the innocent twin brother of Navarog. Umbriel confirmed the demon's presence just to make sure. However, David claims that Zavarok is not evil, even though he's a demon. We were afraid that you guys would not believe us, and possibly do harm to David and/or Zavarok if we tried telling you. I'm sorry to take off like this, but we just didn't feel safe telling you in person. We are trying to find a way to resolve this issue on our own, and will return when we can. The three of us will attempt to take off with Raxtus._

_Please, don't hate us for this. I love you all and wouldn't do something like this without a reason._

_Seth, David and Lance_

"Is he serious?" asked Kendra.

"This doesn't appear to be a joke," said Tanu. "We've scoured the area and there's no sign of the boys _or_ Raxtus."

"Raxtus left too?"

"Seems like it," replied Dale. "We woke Geminus to ask if she knew about this, and she's just as shocked as we are.

"But Raxtus is a fairy dragon!" exclaimed Kendra, who then grumbled. "They must've lied to Raxtus, I know it! He'd never agree to help if he knew what this was all about!"

"I'm still shocked at the whole Zavarok thing, myself," said Warren. "That David seemed like such a nice guy. And now he's trying to pass himself off as the host of a _good_ demon."

"Since when did Navarog have a brother, anyway?" asked Kendra.

"I must admit that there's a lot about Navarog that we likely never knew about," said Grandpa. "It's quite possible that he could very well have a brother, and maybe even more siblings. However, I'm not buying this whole _good demon_ story."

"What do you mean?"

"All demons are evil," said Tanu. "It's in their nature. Navarog was classified as a demonic dragon no doubt do to the fact that demon genetics dwell within his body. And no doubt he and Zavarok share the same parents, if we're led to the believe that the two of them are twins."

"True or not," said Warren, "what are we supposed to do about this whole situation? The boys' parents are going to kill us if they find out they've run off like this."

"What if their parents are in on this?" asked Kendra. "I hate to jump to conclusions, but we barely even know them."

"Something to consider," said Grandpa. "Rather than fret, let's look at the whole situation with more thought. One: David claims that the twin brother of Navarog is not evil, and that he's inside his body. While this may be true, I'm not buying this whole good demon story at all. Seth however, can be gullible, and he might be oblivious to the danger here due to being a shadow charmer. After all, demons are instinctively evil by nature. Two: Seth bought this story and has somehow persuaded Raxtus in taking them to find help. Exactly where they're going is still a mystery. And three: If they do succeed in restoring Zavarok, or whatever they're planning on doing, if they succeed, we could be in serious trouble."

Kendra' eyes lit up. "Why don't we just ask the fairies for help? They could use the Omega Star to set things straight, right?"

Grandma winced. "I'm not too keen on getting the fairies involved with all this, but it might very well be the wisest approach to this situation."

"I agree," said Grandpa. "We've reached an agreement with the fairies that while they're in charge of what goes on with the five instruments, that us Knights of the Dawn have permission to request their usage in a crisis. And I'd say that trying to restore Navarog's double could very well constitute as a crisis."

Kendra rubbed her forehead. This huge revolution regarding, Seth, Lance, David, and now apparently Zavarok had hit her like a ton of bricks. What was the deal with Zavarok, and what was his motivation? Kendra had never heard of Zavarok before, and had a feeling that no one else in the room did either. She was worried, but knew that with the fairies' assistance, they could remedy the problem fairly easily.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Kendra.

"It's quite simple, really," replied Grandpa. "After breakfast, you will arrange to meet with the Fairy Queen. Explain the situation to her as best you can, and hopefully, she'll permit you to use the Omega Star and let us solve this whole ordeal the easy and practical way."

Kendra nodded in agreement, as she prepared to eat a bowl of oatmeal that her mother placed down in front of her. Once she was finished, Kendra went back upstairs to brush her teeth, then changed into a formal dress, the same vibrant one Bright had conjured up for her for her visit to the Fairbanks' two months prior.

She then went back downstairs, where Warren was waiting for her, dressed in a formal tuxedo, complete with a carnation boutonnière.

"You look nice, Kendra," he said with a smile. "We've explained the situation to Bright and Clover, but to be quite honest, they aren't too thrilled about the whole thing. Anyway, if you're ready to get, we can get rolling."

Kendra and Warren departed from the house, making their way across the yard and into the forest. From there, they ventured down the path that ultimately led them to the naiad's pond. They soon arrived at the pond, where the rainbow bridge that connected the shore to island in the centre was beaming vividly.

"Ah, there you are," said Bright, with a somewhat concerned look on her face.

"You look a bit perturbed, Bright," said Kendra.

"I'm just worried," the fairy angel replied. "I mean, if this whole Zavarok thing is true, who knows what else he could be up to. Let's just get going and get this whole thing over with."

Bright led Kendra and Warren across the rainbow bridge. As they crossed, Kendra kept reminding herself that not just anybody could do the same, only a select few who had been elected by the Fairy Queen herself. Anyone else who merely pass through as though the bridge were intangible.

Once they stepped onto the island on the other side, Bright walked up to the statue of the Fairy Queen, and unleashed her rainbow-colored magic upon it. The statue then began to glow in a flurry of colors, indicating that it was now active.

Kendra, Warren and Bright all stepped up to the statue, and allowed its magic to pull them through to the other side. A moment later, the light faded, revealing that the beautiful Fairy Kingdom had replaced the naiad's pond that had previously been surrounding them.

Kendra glanced around at her surroundings. It wasn't often that she had been given clearance to enter the Fairy Kingdom. They had arrived in a garden next to a statue of the Fairy Queen; identical to the one back at Fablehaven. The plants were blooming vibrantly, and the sun was joyously bright, as it usually was in the realm of the fairies.

From the garden, Bright led Kendra and Warren over to the gate outside the royal castle. Bright spoke to the guard, who then gave them permission to pass through and enter the castle proper.

Although Kendra had been here several times in the past, visiting the castle of the Fairy Queen always impressed her. The floors, walls, ceilings and pillars were all constructed out of a rainbow of crystals, right down to the last tile. It was a magnificent sight to behold.

Bright directed Kendra and Warren upstairs and down a hallway to a set of large, double doors. Recalling her previous visits, Kendra knew that this was the throne room of the Fairy Queen herself. In fact, had this been her first visit, Kendra would've made the same assumption.

"We're here on official business," said Bright to the fairy guarding the doors. "Let us pass."

"Of course," said the guard, as she pushed one of the doors open, revealing the throne room on the other side.

Kendra, Warren and Bright all stepped into the throne room, where the Fairy Queen was surely enough, sitting on her throne at the far end of the room.

"Kendra!" said the Fairy Queen from across the room. "How nice to see you again!"

"Good morning, mom!" said Bright, as the group walked across the room towards the throne.

"Hey, there," said Warren.

"What brings you here?" asked the Fairy Queen, as Kendra, Warren and Bright walked up the steps that her throne stood upon.

"We kind of have a problem," said Warren.

"A problem?" asked the Fairy Queen. "What's wrong? Is Fablehaven under attack? Is the Society of the Evening Star up to something?"

"No," said Kendra. "It's about this... demon."

Kendra and Warren took turns explaining the whole situation regarding David and Zavarok to the Fairy Queen, who seemed to be quite miffed upon hearing the bad news.

"So," said the Fairy Queen. "This David. He's been wrongly possessed by a demon? And this demon is actually the twin brother of Navarog?"

"That's what we've been told," said Warren.

"And you want us fairies to just wish away this problem, correct?"

"Could you?" asked Warren.

"Perish the thought," snapped the Fairy Queen, whose remark made Kendra jump. "From what I understand, you want David to be separated from Zavarok. That is, if they actually are two separate entities"

"What's wrong with that?" asked Warren.

"Because then we'd have a demon floating around," said the Fairy Queen. "Which we'd have to banish, since destroying it is not an option, even with the Omega Star.

"Hold on," said Kendra. "We don't know if Zavarok is actually evil or not!"

"He's a demon," said the Fairy Queen. "As such, he is undoubtedly evil, no matter how friendly he comes off as. Do you not recall how friendly Gavin Rose made himself out to be?"

Kendra stopped to reminisce about Gavin. Until his revelation back at Wyrmroost, he truly did feel like a genuine friend to Kendra. Was Seth falling for a similar trap too? If he was aware of Zavarok, why did it seem like he couldn't recall what had become of Gavin?

"Kendra," said the Fairy Queen. "If there's a demon out there, we'll gladly banish it to Zzyzx for you."

"I don't think you quite understand," stated Warren. "This demon might not be evil. At least, that's what we've been told."

"Do you really believe that a demon might not be evil?" asked the Fairy Queen. "It's impossible. It's their nature. Even a wish from the Omega Star would be incapable of rectifying that."

"Could you at least transport the boys back to Fablehaven and let us deal with them from there?" asked Warren.

"I'm not very keen on that idea. You possess no means of extracting the demon yourself, and I don't approve of demons running around near my shrines, let alone anywhere in the mortal realm. I feel that Zavarok needs to be vanquished immediately."

Kendra's heart was trembling in fear. Although she knew that demons were evil, part of her wanted to believe that Zavarok was actually good. The way David had been acting; it just felt different from the times when Navarog had been posing as Gavin and Seth. However, if the Fairy Queen had her way, then there was the possibility that a legitimately good soul was going to be banished to a point of no return.

As Kendra pondered, the Fairy Queen rubbed her hand on a crystal ball that stood on a podium next to her throne. Within seconds, five full-bodied fairies materialized at the bottom of the stairs in front of the throne.

It didn't take long for Kendra to recognize the quintet. They were the five fairy angels who served as keepers for the instruments of eternal power. The two who stood out to Kendra right away were Opal and Tiara. The other three were Brillia, Bravia and Brook, Bright's older sisters. The five keepers, upon seeing the group of Kendra, Warren and Bright, were all quick to greet them upon making their arrival.

"What did you summon us here for, mother?" asked Brook, stroking her shimmering white hair.

"We have a predicament," said the Fairy Queen, as she, Kendra, Warren and Bright did explained the situation to the five keepers.

"So, do you understand what we're trying to do?" asked Bright.

The five keepers all nodded, although they seemed to be somewhat frazzled by the whole ordeal.

"Good," said the Fairy Queen. "In that case, I want you five to assemble the Omega Star so that we can banish Zavarok to Zzyzx and be done with him."

"No!" exclaimed Kendra, drawing attention from everyone in the room.

"My dear, do you really want another Navarog plotting against you?" asked the Fairy Queen. "The sooner we deal with this brother of his, the better."

"I don't know," said Tiara. "What if Kendra has a point?"

"Don't be daft," said Brillia. "A demon is a demon. Let's just get rid of it."

"I'm with you, Tiara," said Opal. "I gave everything I had to help save Seth when he was possessed by Navarog. We took extra precaution to make sure that we did no harm to him while trying to recover the instruments."

"And now we're just supposed to banish Zavarok, without learning of his true intentions?" asked Tiara.

"He's a demon," said the Fairy Queen. "I want him banished right away."

"Well, not all of us necessarily agree with you, mother," said Bright sternly. "If Kendra seems so sure of this, maybe Zavarok isn't entirely evil. He is part dragon, after all."

"But he's still part dragon," stated Bravia. "Just like his brother. I say we banish him."

"Show of hands," said the Fairy Queen. "All who believe we should banish Zavarog?"

The Fairy Queen, Brillia, Bravia and Brook all raised their hands.

"And all who believe Zavarok should be helped?"

Tiara, Opal, Bright, Kendra and Warren then raised their hands.

"Five to four," said Warren with a grin. "We win!"

"Absolutely not, said the Fairy Queen. "What gives you the right to vote? This decision is entirely up to us fairies, not mortals."

Warren groaned. "You know, it was mortals such as myself who recovered those very instruments which you're all so fond of."

"That is unrelated to the decision at hand," said the Fairy Queen. "And for the most part, my fairies helped you along the way."

"What about Bracken?" asked Kendra. "Or Clover? Or Geminus?

"What goes on regarding the instruments is not something that they have a say in," said the Fairy Queen. "And there aren't many other fairies I'd leave this decision up to to."

"Can we at least transport Zavarok to a safe environment, somewhere in our world?" asked Warren. "It doesn't have to be on a preserve."

"If we get the Omega Star formed, we're sending Zavarok to Zzyzx," said Brillia. "You can be sure of it."

"Just what we need," said Warren. "Conflict amongst the fairies."

"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Bright. "My kin appear to have reached an impasse."

"This is terrible," said Warren. "We can't get them to agree with us."

"At least they're not entirely _dis_agreeing," added Kendra.

"I'm sorry," said the Fairy Queen. "But I don't think we're going to solve this dispute any time soon."

"I think we should go," said Bright.

"We're sorry to bother you," said Kendra. "Maybe you'll think of a better solution later on?"

"We hope to," said the Fairy Queen. "You do bring up a good point, but the truth is, there has been no such thing as a good demon, ever."

Bright led Kendra and Warren out of the throne room, then made her way outside of the castle. It was unfortunate that the fairies were torn on the whole prospect of helping them. They had raised a valid argument, but deep inside, Kendra couldn't decide who was wrong, and who was right.

Bright then used her magic to make the statue of the Fairy Queen glow, allowing them to pass through the Fairy Realm and return to Fablehaven.


	6. Brothers and Sisters

**Chapter 6: Brothers and Sisters**

High in the morning sky, soaring above the clouds, Raxtus was flying in a southwestern direction, toting Seth, Lance and David upon his backside. The three boys were all holding onto Raxtus tightly, even though they had gotten over their initial fear that they might fall off and plunge to their deaths.

"This is awesome," said Lance, the wind blowing against his face and flicking his hair back across his head."

"You know, I can't read any of Zavarog's memories," said David, "but if this is what it's like to fly, I can see why he's so anxious to restore himself!"

"You guys," said Seth. "We've been flying for like over two hours! Haven't you gotten used to the thrill by now?"

"You seem to be having such a good time yourself," said Lance. "What are you ratting on us for? Besides, this is our first time."

"Well, all right," muttered Seth. "How much longer anyway, Raxtus?"

"I get the feeling it's not much further," replied the dragon, who had turned his head back, then faced it forward again.

"How can he tell how far it is?" asked Lance.

"I don't know how he does it," replied Seth. "Since he flies the whole way uninterrupted, you just need to give him the distance between two spots, and the direction. Then he just figures it out somehow based on his speed"

"Yeah, that's what most people like to call _math_," laughed Lance.

"I'm pretty sure Zavarog would've done the same," added David. "But he didn't fly around the world very much. Hey kept to himself. Rarely left Balauridge."

"What's... Balauridge?" asked Seth.

"A dragon sanctuary," replied David. "From what I've learned from Zavarok, it was one of the forbidden ones, much like Wyrmroost. When most of the wild dragons that still roamed the Earth were being herded into sanctuaries, Zavarok wound up inside Balauridge."

"Wait a minute," said Seth. "Why would Zavarok wind up in a forbidden dragon sanctuary? "When we went to Wyrmroost, it was full of the nastiest dragons I'd ever met! Present company excluded, Raxtus."

"Even though he was a good dragon, Zavarok was just as fearsome and powerful as his brother," said David. "He lived in solitude there for ages, until Navarog tracked him down last year and slaughtered him."

"That Navarog really sounds persistent," said Lance. "Slipping into dragon sanctuaries. Killing anyone who stood in his way. Possessing Seth."

"Yeah, there's a reason why he got himself a one-way ticket to the knapsack," said Seth.

Before long, Raxtus began descending down beneath the clouds. Beneath the group, the vast countryside spread across in every direction. Hills and forests dotted the land, as did a long river that stretched from one end to the other; the Mississippi.

"I think we're just about there," said Seth, pulling a map out of his bag. "Course, last time I was here, I didn't get a bird's-eye view of the place.

"Where is this place?" asked Raxtus. "What are we supposed to look for?"

"There was this path leading up to a door along a cliff side somewhere near the river," replied Seth. "Fly us down close to the river and we'll figure things out from there."

"As you say," said Raxtus, as he sped down from the sky, aiming his body towards the centre of the river.

Seth, Lance and David all held on tightly, The way Raxtus was diving downwards, it almost felt like they were going down a very high roller coaster. It then hit Seth that Raxtus was still mesmerized, and that his self-awareness was wonky.

The river was getting closer and closer, as Raxtus continuously soared lower and lowed. Now no more than fifty feet above the surface, Raxtus eased up on his descent. Just before hitting the water, Raxtus flew up, then slowed down, until he was just slowly flapping his wings, hovering mere feet above the river.

"Where to now?" asked Raxtus, observing the surrounding river from their current position.

Seth fumbled through the various papers that were in his hands. The papers consisted of directions, as well as a map of the general area. Taking the information he had gathered into account, as well as the memory of his previous visit, Seth tried to, in his head, deduce where they Singing Sisters' home exactly was.

"Seth," said Lance. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"I think so. The place was located within the cliff side of a bluff. As long as Raxtus here got us to the right general area, it should be just around here."

"According to our GPS, we've gotta be very close to their location," said Lance, looking over Seth's shoulder at the notes in his friend's hands. "It's probably just down the river a bit more."

Seth directed Raxtus to follow the river, keeping in the air no more than ten feet above the surface. After only a moment or so, a familiar sight came into Seth's view; the island where the Singing Sisters resided!

"Up that bluff, Raxtus," said Seth, prompting the dragon to fly over to and up the side of the aforementioned bluff that loomed over the shore of the island. After ascending more than two-thirds of the way up the bluff, Raxtus stopped in front of a small ledge on the cliff side, which he landed upon.

"This is it!" said Seth, as he climbed down off of Raxtus and stepped onto the ledge. "This is the place!"

Lance and David climbed down off of Raxtus after Seth and admired the view from atop the ledge.

"Where are they?" asked David.

"This way," said Seth. "There should be a door built into the cliff side over here."

Seth led the group of Lance, David and Raxtus along the ledge and over to the rock door that rested at the far end of it. He stared at the all-too-familiar sight that stood before him, then froze on the spot.

"Seth, what's wrong?" asked David. "You're just standing there."

"You know, the Singing Sisters aren't going to just_ help_ us. I already owe them one favor and there's no guarantee that they'll go easy on you."

"We can at least try," said David. "If we can't agree to fulfil our end of the bargain, we'll leave. I want to be free of Zavarok just as much as he does of me, but not if the price is too great."

"Okay then," said Seth, as he pounded on the door three times. A moment later, the door creaked open, revealing the troll that served as the gatekeeper. Seth remembered the troll from his previous visit.

"You," grumbled the troll. "You! You are back."

"Well, yeah," said Seth. "You've got a good memory, it's been like seven months since I was last here."

"Your previous group was the last to come here. I don't forget. But what business do you have here?"

"I'm not the one who wishes to see the Singing Sisters," responded Seth. "My friend, David, does."

The troll turned his attention to David, and walked stepped up next to him. Although David was roughly the same height as Seth, the troll stood a good head taller than him.

"Well then, _David_," snorted the troll. "If you wish to come in, state that you willing enter as an uninvited visitor."

"I willingly enter as an uninvited visitor," said David. "And so does Zavarok."

"Zavarok?" asked the troll, pointing at Lance. "Is he Zavarok?"

Seth shook his head. "Hardly."

"Whatever," said the troll. "Enter, David."

"Hold it!" exclaimed Seth. "Let me in, too. I need to hear this information for myself. Just to verify that it's... authentic."

"You've no need to visit the Sisters?" asked the troll.

"Well I do... sort of," stated Seth. "Look I'll agree to enter as an uninvited visitor if that's what it takes."

"Me too," added Lance. "Part of this is my doing. I need to see for myself as well."

"Then agree to enter as uninvited visitors," said the troll. "Both of ya."

"What'd he say?" asked Lance. Seth then remembered that the troll had been speaking in Duggish the whole time. Therefore, it was possible for him and David to understand it, but not Lance."

"Just repeat after me," replied Seth. He and Lance then both proceeded to uttered the line _I willingly enter as an uninvited visitor_.

"All right," said the troll, as he opened the door up and stood to the side. You may enter. All three of you. But, the dragon must wait outside."

Seth looked back at Raxtus. The dragon just stood there, gazing out at the river below, as if he were in a trance-like daze. Raxtus almost reminded Seth of when Warren had been catatonic. However, Seth knew this was only temporary, and that he would be back to normal soon. In spite that, part of Seth wished that he had not mesmerized Raxtus in the first place.

Seth and his friends stepped through the door and entered the domain of the Singing Sisters. Just like his previous visit, the entrance contained a dank, murky downwards stairwell. The troll led the trio down the stairwell and into a large cavern populated by several other trolls. On the floor towards the centre of the room were puddles, the largest and center-most of which was where the Singing Sisters themselves stood.

"Seth Sorenson?" exclaimed one of the sisters, prompting the three boys to approach the conjoined siblings. "What brings you back here?"

"Don't you remember, Berna?" asked Wilna. "This noble rapscallion is indebted to us."

Seth made his best effort to hide a guilty grin. He knew he would have to return eventually, but it still wasn't time.

"I do believe he has arrived prematurely," noted Orna.

"I'm not objecting to his early arrival," said Berna. "If he wants to get his duty out of the way early, I say we let him!"

Seth blew on his fingers, creating a whistle, which drew the attention of his friends and the Singing Sisters.

"Excuse me!" he cried. "But I am not here to return my favor today. I still have several months to go, so give me a break!"

"Then what are you here for?" asked Wilna.

"This here is David," said Seth, pointing his friend out to the sisters.

"Yes, we were quite aware of that," noted Berna.

"Well, David has a request to ask of you. Go on, David. Ask them."

David stepped up in front of the three sisters and took in a deep breath. "I am being possessed by a demon named Zavarok," he said nervously. "I... I need to know a way to release him from my body. And maybe even restore his old dragon body as well."

"Exorcising a demon?" asked Orna. "Is that all?"

"Restoring him would be nice too, if you know how."

"Young man," said Wilna. "We have the power to obtain any piece information that we so desire. However, depending on how_ valuable_ the information is, is how we determine our free. Your friend Seth sought out an elusive sword, so we felt it was fair for him to bring us the sword at a later date and owe a favor in the future as well."

"So, what do you want in exchange for my request?" asked David.

"It wouldn't be much," said Berna. "Perhaps a small treasure hoard would suffice."

"Or a priceless relic," suggested Wilna.

"Is that really fair?" asked Lance. "I mean, our family doesn't just have money to burn."

"This is a service of ours, and we know how valuable information can be to others," explained Orna. "If he doesn't want to pay our price, he is free to turn around and leave."

"He's got a point," said Seth. "Part of the deal when I asked for Vasilis was to present the sword itself to you three later on. All David wants is to be separated from a demon."

"Then maybe the demon himself would be able to fulfil a favor for us," said Berna.

"I like it," said Wilna. "If Zavarok can indeed be restored, I say we let him come to us. Maybe, say, within a year."

"But, how're we going to get Zavarok to come if he never agrees to this?" asked Seth.

"Zavarok _is_ going to agree to it," exclaimed David. "I know he's a part of me, but deep down, he himself agrees to this."

"Since this demon is a part of you, David, you will have to stand in for him," stated Orna. "Gromlet, fetch a covenant knife, would you?"

Gromlet, a small troll whom Seth recalled from last time, trotted over to the Singing Sisters carrying an embroidered cushion. Resting atop the cushion was a dagger.

"What do I do with this?" asked David, as the demon presented the dagger to him with the handle facing him.

"Let the knife taste your blood," sang the three sisters.

Very cautiously, David pierced the tip of the knife into his wrist. He then drew it out, and blood slowly trickled down onto his thumb.

"We vow to show you where you can go to get Zavarok exorcised from within you," the sisters chanted in unison. "Knife in hand, make your vow!"

David clenched the knife in his hand. "Zavarok promises to return to you once he is free from me. Within a year after his release."

"Once we perform our obligation, you will be bound," the women sang. "If you fail to perform your duties, or if you divulge the particulars of our arrangement, this knife will take your life. So be it."

The three sisters proceed to hum, then raised their arms up over their heads. As they hummed, their all-too-familiar tune to Seth, he watched as the maggot in the puddle beneath them wriggled violently, until it burst, revealing a strange-looking purple substance in the puddle. The puddle lit up vibrantly, then quickly faded.

The sisters then ceased their humming, and were all wheezing rather tiredly. "This demon better appreciate what we're doing for you." noted Orna.

"Anyway," said Wilna. "There is someone who is capable of extracting Zavarok from you, David. She is a witch living underneath an island."

"A witch?" asked David. "And what island are you talking about."

"An island by the name of Manhattan," replied Berna.

"Manhattan?" asked Lance. "New York City, Manhattan?"

"That's where she resides," said Orna. "She is bound to her confinement by a knotted rope. By untying a knot, she has the power to extract Zavarok from David."

"Hold on," said Lance. "Manhattan is part of a huge city. How do we get to wherever it is she's residing?"

"The map Timmut," said Wilna, prompting the troll to run back to the sisters. He then handed to David a hand-drawn map. The boys all glanced at it, and Seth could see the island of Manhattan, with a red dot on it.

"This exact point is where the witch resides. But be careful with her. From what we gather, she is as corrupt as she is powerful. However, she is willing to help you if you help her."

"I can't help but think of Muriel," said Seth. "Untying _her_ final knot came at a high price."

"So all we do is agree to untie a knot and she'll help us?" asked Lance.

"There's no guarantee," said Orna. "She may agree to grant your request, she may not. However, she certainly has the power to do so if you can persuade her."

"Is that it?" asked Seth. "We venture beneath underground to this spot on this map, find this witch, and get her to help us?"

"That's all it takes," said Wilna. "Now, if you are done, please leave kindly."

"Wait!" exclaimed Lance. "I have a favor to ask as well!"

The three sisters all groaned. "What do you want?" asked Berna.

"Can you assure us that Zavarok is not evil?"

"Lance!" gasped David. "Why are you doubting me? Don't waste your request on that!"

"I need to know the truth," said Lance.

"That's all?" asked Orna.

"Look, I'll do that sword thing myself and get you whatever you want."

"He's not evil," said Wilna.

"What?" asked Lance. "How do you know? You don't do that chant or anything."

"We know," said Wilna.

"Why'd you spill the beans?" asked Orna, who glared at Wilna, along with Berna.

"We could've gotten a favor from him!"

"I didn't require a vision to tell me that," said Wilna. "I mean, it was apparent once David pierced himself with the blade. I could sense the non-malicious demon within him. However, like any individual, Zavarok is free to make his own choices."

"But, the favor!" cried Orna.

"What favor could Lance grant us anyway?" asked Wilna. "Besides, his request was small, and what's wrong with the occasional freebie giveaway?"

"Thank you very much," said Lance, as Orna and Berna scowled at him. Lance then walked back to David and gave him a hug. "Sorry I doubted you, but I just wanted to be safe."

"I understand," said David, hugging him back.

"Thanks, you three," said Seth, as he led Lance and David back towards the stairwell.

"Farewell, boys," chanted the sisters, as the boys proceeded to climb back up the stairs. "And we look forward to your return next year, Seth Sorenson."


	7. Parental Discretion

**Chapter 7: Parental Discretion**

Kendra was sitting down on the couch, holding her head in her hands. If only she'd known, she could've stopped the boys from running off while they were still at home. If the fairies had been feeling a strange presence from David, then surely the Sorensons could've done something about it while they had the chance. And here they were now, at a loss as to boys' situation, with no idea as to what they were getting themselves into.

"When Seth gets back, I want a tracking device to be surgically implanted into his head!" exclaimed Grandpa.

"Don't be so daft," said Grandma. "Seth is going to have a _long _talk with us after all this, and then we'll figure out a suitable punishment for him."

"Excuse me, but aren't we forgetting about the actual problem here?" asked Mr. Sorenson. "This whole David and Zavarok ordeal? What are we supposed to do about that?"

"Well, the fairies aren't exactly eager to help us with this," stated Warren. "We'd have to tackle it ourselves. Maybe find a way to quarantine David and examine him thoroughly."

"That shouldn't be too hard to do," said Dale. "We could designate a portion of the property to Zavarok. If we're to believe this whole story, David, or Zavarok, would be confined. However, if Zavarok manages to show his true colors, he could easily overwhelm us. Even all the creatures on this preserve if he's anything like Navarog."

"And we'll find David when we find Seth," chimed in Grandma. "The question is, how?"

"Well," said Tanu, "I'd like to say there's only so many places to go that Seth could even think of. Unfortunately, David... or Zavarok... or whoever he is, may know of more, as could Raxtus, or even Lance."

Kendra's eyes suddenly lit up. "What about the Oculus? If we could borrow that again, I could find Seth quite easily!"

"Now you're thinking," said Warren. "But don't tell me we've gotta run through another stupid vault again."

"I'm afraid you'll have to," said Grandpa. "That is, of course, assuming you're after the _true _Oculus."

Everyone stopped to stare at Grandpa, who displayed a smile, which was a sight for sore eyes given the current situation.

"What are you talking about?" asked Kendra.

Grandpa clasped his fingers together. "There is a second set of artifacts."

Warren shook his head. "You mean, the instruments of eternal power? That's not what I think you mean."

"Nope," replied Grandpa. "There is a second set of the five artifacts. A second Oculus. A second Sands of Sanctity, and so on."

"Since when?" asked Kendra, folding her arms sternly.

"Allow me to explain," said Grandpa. "After the whole ordeal with Oblivion wound down, Agad requested that I return the Translocator to him, so that it could be stored away again. Before getting around to that, I realized that you guys having the Translocator on hand proved to be quite handy, and that it would be a hassle to have to hunt it, or any of the other artifacts down again."

"Then what?" asked Kendra.

"I requested a visit with the Fairy Queen, and explained to her that while the artifacts themselves are invaluable due to their powers, they need to remain concealed, preferably forever. So, I requested that the fairies use the Omega Star to wish for a second set of artifacts. That way, we keep could the original artifacts hidden away, while technically still having access to their powers."

"I don't get it," said Warren. "Why hide the artifacts in the first place if you're just going to wish for a second set?"

"Because this second set works a little differently from the first," explained Grandpa. "The artifacts do indeed have their same functions as the originals, but with two differences. The first difference is that the secondary artifacts are incapable of opening Zzyzx. They are function entirely as tools, and nothing more. The second is that only people who have been granted authority by Agad to use them can actually do so."

"Sounds great," said Warren, with an excited look on his face. "Where are they?"

"Agad currently has them," said Grandpa. "But after I explain the situation to him, we should have access to them before long."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Warren. "Let's get Agad over here so we can get moving already."

"That won't be easy," said Grandpa. "First, Agad would need to give the situation some thought. As would I. As much as I like the idea, I don't know how reliable the artifacts even are. They haven't been fully tested, and I've been trying to keep them a secret. On another note, we still need to learn more about David. I'm going to talk to Trask and see if he knows any more information about David's family."

"But Trask can't just ask Estelle or whomever peculiar questions like _Is David really Zavarok?_, said Warren.

"You're right," said Tanu. "But, what can we do?"

"The best way to learn would be to seek out David's family," said Grandma. "His own parents might know a thing or two about all this that they're not speaking up about. Of course, you can't just call them up and ask them directly. It'd be best if you just try and piece together information yourself, rather than asking them fishy questions."

"You mean, go down to their place and eavesdrop on them?" asked Warren.

"Precisely," said Grandma. "We haven't yet told David's parents about all this, so now might be the best time to do so."

"But, what about those other artifacts?" asked Kendra. "Wouldn't it be easier to just get a hold of them and use those instead of running around aimlessly?"

"All in good time," said Grandpa. "Until then, it's best that you travel down to David and Lance's home on your own and see if you can learn anything. Once you get back, if I can come to an agreement with Agad, we'll be able to start using the secondary artifacts."

Before long, Kendra and Warren had packed themselves some supplies, and were standing in the front yard besides Geminus, just about ready to leave.

"Are you sure you two can't come with us?" Kendra asked Bright and Clover.

"We're really sorry," replied Clover. "But you remember how when the dimensional barrier between our worlds was blocked off? The minor fairies at Fablehaven nearly perished. So now, the Fairy Queen forbids us from leaving the grounds without her permission."

"And asking for her permission, especially with all this Zavarok hullabaloo going on, isn't such a great idea," said Bright. "Believe me, it would only make things worse if he disobeyed her orders."

"It's no big deal," said Warren. "We're just going to to someone's house to pay them a visit. Not some uncharted dungeon. Once we learn what we're actually going up against, we can appeal to the Fairy Queen and hopefully get back on her good side."

"You'll take care of Vanessa while we're gone, right?" asked Geminus.

"Don't worry," replied Clover. "She's napping in the back garden, and the fairies are all keeping an eye on her."

"Thank you," said Geminus. "With Raxtus on this crazy adventure, I've just been so distraught."

"We'll get to the bottom of this," said Warren, as he climbed up onto Geminus' back, along with Kendra. "But the sooner we learn more about David, the better."

"We'll be okay without Bright and Clover wont' we, Warren?"

"We should be fine. We're not doing anything brash, and you also have Ariel with you."

"Good luck," said Clover, who waved at the two Knights and Geminus as they took off, along with Bright.

Although they usually rode atop Raxtus rather than Geminus, the ride through the sky went rather smoothly. Despite the fact that Geminus was not born a dragon, she flew just as smoothly and consistently as Raxtus.

No more than three hours later, Geminus swooped down through the clouds, revealing the city of Miami far beneath them. In the distance, Kendra could see a long beach sprawling across the shoreline.

"So, where is the place we're heading?" asked Geminus.

"I've got the address with me," said Warren. "But you need to find a place to land where we won't draw a lot of attention."

Geminus looked down at the busy city that was several hundred feet below her. She rarely ventured into heavily populated areas, with or without passengers on her back.

"Landing around here might draw attention," said Warren. "Best land in a more remote spot."

Kendra soon spotted a small park, where she prompted Geminus to fly down and land there, within a small grove of trees. Once Kendra and Warren dismounted from her, Geminus transformed back into her diminutive fairy form, then slipped herself into a zipper in Kendra's backpack.

Warren then hailed a taxi, and the two Knights rode it to the address of Everett and Diane Smith. When they got out, they were standing on the sidewalk in front of a typical, middle-income two-story house.

"I wonder if anyone's home?" asked Kendra, as the taxi drove off.

"It's midday," said Warren, glancing at his watch. "Good chance they're out somewhere."

"There's no car in the driveway," said Kendra, having observed their surroundings. "What do we do?"

"I suggest sneaking into the house," said Warren. "Maybe look for clues."

"And I know just the way," said Kendra, rubbing a silver ring she was wearing on her right ring finger. "Ariel, please come out and unlock the front door."

At that moment, a small, sparkling fairy appeared from out of Kendra's ring. She sported round, almost bee-like wings, a glittering dress, and smooth, white hair. In spite of her hair being white, the fairy did not appear to be elderly. Seth had even commented once that Ariel's white hair reminded him of both Judy Jetson and Storm from X-Men.

"Absolutely," said Ariel with a smile, as she flicked a bit of magical dust upon the doorknob, causing it to unlock.

"Thank you," said Kendra.

"You're welcome," said Ariel pleasantly, before retreating back into her ring.

Warren twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, making his way into the foyer of the house. Kendra followed him inside, and closed the door behind her. From their first glances, the house seemed pretty normal inside. However, they had been led to believe that this house was actually harboring the twin brother of Navarog.

"As much as I want to search for clues," began Warren, "we need to remember that Everett and Diane are not members of the Knights of the Dawn, so don't waste your time looking for anything in regards to that."

Warren turned towards the stairs leading up to the second floor. But before he could set so much as a foot on the first step, Kendra grabbed his hand.

"Wait," she said. "This just feels... wrong."

"Look, I'm not big on this whole breaking and entering thing myself," said Warren. "But we need to know the truth."

"I know you told me about when you broke into Lance's old house to search for clues," said Kendra. "But this is different. I'm okay with spying on these people, but going through their things. It's just wrong."

Warren took in a deep breath. "You are right. But what if can't learn anything this way?"

"Maybe then we should have someone tell them what's happened. Then we'll spy on them and see if we can learn anything or not."

"Might as well, said Warren. "We'll wait out our time until they get home. As much as I dislike the idea of spying on these people, it might be the only way we'll ever learn anything more about Zavarok."

Kendra and Warren left the house through the front door, then made their way around to the side next to the neighboring house.

"What are we doing here?" asked Kendra.

Without responding, Warren grabbed Kendra, then allowed himself to float up towards the rooftop, dragging her with him.

"We've gotta lay low until we're ready," said Warren, placing Kendra down atop the roof of the house. We should be safe up here. Have Ariel cast a sleeping spell on us. When we awaken, we can check to see if they're home yet."

Kendra nodded, then released Ariel from her ring. She relayed Warren's directions to her fairy guardian, prompting Ariel to sprinkle the two of them with magical glitter, causing them to fall asleep directly on the rooftop.

When Kendra and Warren woke up, it was dark out. Warren climbed up from his sleeping position, and walked over to the back of the house, where he peered down from the roof. "The lights are on," he said.

"Okay," said Kendra, getting up onto her feet. "Now, how do you propose we go about spying on them?"

"I'd suggest invisibility, but I'm kinda worried we'll make too much noise and draw unwanted attention, even if they can't see us."

"How about shrinking?" asked Kendra.

"It works," replied Warren. "Besides, it'll make it easier to sneak back into the house if we're small."

Kendra released Ariel from her ring. "Ariel, can you shrink us down? We need to get into the house."

"I can," stated Ariel, "but it won't last for too long. I'm sorry I'm not as strong as a fairy angel."

"Don't worry about it," said Warren. "Anything you can do to help us is fine."

Ariel nodded, then used her magic to shrink Kendra and Warren down to roughly the same size as herself. As Kendra shrunk, Geminus fluttered out of her backpack.

Warren, Geminus and Ariel a hold of Kendra, then flew her over and into the chimney. Due to their decreased sizes, they were able to fit down rather smoothly, and kept themselves from getting coated in soot as they ventured down the shaft.

As the group came down into the unlit fireplace, they went completely unnoticed by Diane and Everett, who were sitting on the couch together, watching what Kendra assumed was a movie on the television. The two adults had failed to notice Kendra and her friends, as they slipped out of the fireplace and made their way behind the couch.

"This is just great," muttered Kendra. "They're too busy watching their stupid movie to talk about David or anything."

Warren peered around the side of the couch to catch a glimpse of the movie. "It's Scarface! We might as well stick around and watch the rest of it while we wait."

"We can't wait too long," said Ariel. "My magic won't last forever."

"And I can't tap into my magic that easily," added Geminus.

"I hate to do this," said Warren, "but we gotta shut off that TV and get their mind off of it as well."

"But they've got the remote," said Kendra. "And if we turn off the TV using the main switch, or pull the plug, they'll suspect something.

"I'll look for something," said Warren, as he flew up into the air. Kendra was hoping he didn't fly too high, as she was afraid Diane or Everett might turn around and spot him.

A moment later, Warren floated back down. "I got it. There's a picture of David on the mantle. If we cause it to fall to the floor and break, it'll get their attention, plus they'll stop their film to clean it up. Maybe they'll mention something about David at that point."

"Should we really wreck something like that?" asked Kendra.

"It's only a picture frame," said Warren, pointing up to the aforementioned frame on the mantle. "And we can't stall forever. Ariel, can you use your magic to force that picture of David to fall to the floor?"

"Okay," said Ariel, pointing her hand at the framed picture of David. Magical sparkles flew out of her hand and hit the picture frame. The picture wobbled forward several inches, until it went off the edge of the mantle and plummeted to the floor. As it crashed, Kendra could hear glass shattering.

"Oh my god!" gasped Everett, as he got up from the couch and made his way over to the fallen picture. From the sudden silence, Kendra sensed the the movie had been paused.

"How did this happen?" asked Diane, who had followed behind her husband.

"I don't know!" exclaimed Everett. "There was no sudden vibration or anything! It just... fell."

"What's done is done," said Diane. "We need to clean this up, there's glass everywhere."

"I'll get the dustpan," said Everett, as he made his way out of the living room, while Diane proceeded to pick up the fallen frame.

"Well, at least the photo itself is still okay."

Everett came back carrying a broom and dustbin, and began to sweep up the pieces of broken glass. "You're right. The photo's what counts. God, I'd hate it if something like this actually happened to David himself."

"Don't worry," said Diane. "He's in good company. I mean, I've been told that there's been problems at Fablehaven in the past, but the people there always pull through. I know he'll be back in a few days, but I think about him all the time. Lance as well."

"Would you feel better if we called and asked how the boys are doing?" asked Everett, as he dumped the broken pieces into the garbage. Upon hearing this, Kendra's heart nearly stopped. "No," she told herself. "I don't want you to worry!"

"These boys are teenagers," said Diane. "And it's only for a few days. They'll be fine."

"Well, all right," said Everett, as he sat back down on the couch, along with Diane. "Let's just get back to the movie."

"I get the feeling they're unaware of this whole Zavarok thing," said Kendra.

"Okay," said Warren, "guess we can get out of here. Too bad we couldn't learn anything useful."

Just then, a heavy, trembling noise made its way into the room.

"What's that?" asked Geminus.

Suddenyl, there was a loud bark, prompting the diminutive heroes to turn and face a large golden retriever, that was standing before them. The dog bent its head down and proceeded to growl at them.

"Do something!" shrieked Kendra.

"Boomer, be quiet!" shouted Everett, who was sitting on the couch.

Boomer continued to growl, and advanced itself towards Kendra's group. Ariel unleashed her magic upon the dog, causing him to fall asleep.

"That shut him up," said Warren, as he directed his friends back to the fireplace. "Come on, let's get out of here."

As Kendra followed the others back to the fireplace, she turned her attention away from Boomer and back towards Everett and Diane. Forgoing the commotion that had just occurred, the couple looked happy sitting together on the couch, watching their movie. They completely had no clue as to was going on in regards to their son. In a way, Kendra felt not only worried, but was also thankful that they were in such good spirits. However, it was unlikely they could refraining from learning the truth for much longer.


	8. Going Down in Downtown

**Chapter 8 – Going Down in Downtown**

It was roughly mid-afternoon when Raxtus, who had been flying high in the sky towards New York City, dove downward and continued his flight beneath the clouds. Seth, Lance and David gazed down at the vast metropolis that lay in the horizon.

"There it is!" exclaimed Lance. "That's New York City!"

"Raxtus was pretty close," said Seth. "He almost made it on his judgement alone, but was a little off."

"If you were gonna bet on this, you'd have lost," said David.

"Only if I'd bet that Raxtus _wouldn't_ miss New York when he checked to see where he was."

"So where is this witch, anyway?" asked Lance.

"You saw the map," replied Seth. "She's supposed to be somewhere in the lower part of Manhattan."

"That's only if those Singing Sisters are right," noted David.

"Course they're right," said Seth confidently. "They didn't get to be renowned by giving out false information. It's part of their pact."

"Seth, how are we supposed to even start looking for this witch?" asked Lance. "And what if she's dangerous?"

"The sisters said that she's bound by a magical, knotted rope. We only need to release one knot so that the witch can extract Zavarok. As long as there's at least two knots left when we get there, we should be fine. Come to think of it, we should've asked the sisters how many knots were left back when we had the chance."

"You said you're familiar in dealing with a witch like this," said Lance. "What was that about?"

"You mean Muriel?" asked Seth. "Yeah, she used to live in a shack at Fablehaven, and was bound by a knotted rope. Two summers ago, Kendra and I used up her last knot to restore our grandmother from being a chicken."

"A chicken?" asked David. "Why was she a chicken?"

"Long story."

"What'd the witch do once you freed her?" asked Lance.

"She left us alone for the moment, probably out of gratitude. However, she later tried to overthrow the preserve, but was foiled by Kendra. She managed to impair everyone but her, and would've succeeded had Kendra not pulled through. We can't let our guard down around this witch, though. Undoing her last knot would be a very stupid move. If there's only one knot left when we find her, we should just give up. It's not worth the risk."

"There's the city right up ahead!" exclaimed Lance, as a large, urbanized island, came close into view.

Seth glanced at his map, then looked down at the island as they flew over it. "This is New York," said Seth happily. "Staten Island, to be exact. Manhattan's a little further north.

"Hold it," said David. "We can't just fly down in the middle of the city! People will see us! Maybe Raxtus should land here, where it isn't so crowded."

"Good idea," said Seth. "Lots of open area that isn't too busy. Raxtus, please land towards the north side of this island."

"Of course," said Raxtus, as he began descending downwards. The island came closer and closer into view, until Raxtus landed in a clear area of a parkland. As the boys climbed off of Raxtus, Seth looked around, hoping that nobody nearby had really noticed them.

"Even if Raxtus turns invisible, it'll be hard to interact with him once were in the busy city," said Seth. "Raxtus, I want you to turn into your human form."

Without speaking, Raxtus shrunk himself down until he had regressed into his one-foot tall human-like form.

Lance smiled. "He looks kinda adorable! But, won't a guy _that _small draw some unwanted attention?"

Seth reached into his backpack, and from it, removed another backpack, this one all scrunched up in an oblong-like shape. He then straightened out the second backpack, removing as many wrinkles from it that he could.

"Raxtus, since you can't turn invisible as a human, you'll need to hide in here."

Raxtus nodded, then crawled into the backpack. Seth picked up the backpack, unburdened by Raxtus' added weight, then handed it to David.

"You'll need to wear this," said Seth, as David accepted the backpack. "Don't worry. At this size, Raxtus weighs about as much as a cat."

David swung the backpack over her shoulders with minimal difficulty. "Are we good to go?"

"Just about," said Seth. "Now let's get going. I've never been to New York before, but I once heard there's supposed to be a ferry that connects Staten Island to Manhattan."

The boys made their way to a main road and followed it, passing through the northernmost part of Staten Island. After travelling for roughly fifteen minutes, they arrived at the ferry dock at the northern shore of the island.

The boys lined up with a small crowd of people, and boarded the ferry. Seth was more than satisfied upon learning that the fare was free. The three of them stood at the front of the ferry, looking at the shores of New Jersey to the west, Brooklyn to the east, and Manhattan to the north. Of course, the biggest sight to them had to be none other than the Statue of Liberty.

Once the ferry docked at southern end of Manhattan, the passengers all disembarked and set foot onto the island itself. Seth led Lance and David to a newsstand, where he picked up a map of Manhattan. He sat down on a bench and unfurled it, then compared it to the map he had received from the Singing Sisters.

"So, where're we supposed to go?" asked David, having a glance at the two maps for his own eyes to see.

"I don't know how we're supposed to just get to this place," responded Seth. "Not only is it underground, but its between streets!"

"You think maybe it's in the basement of some building?" asked Lance.

"Why would a huge office tower in the middle of big city house a witch in one of its' sub-basements?" asked Seth. "It doesn't make sense."

"Wherever this witch is being held," said David, "has probably been completely developed over years ago. The entrance would've been sealed off. We'd have to dig our way in, and no landlord's gonna let us waltz into their basement and start digging around without a building permit."

"These Singing Sisters," said Lance, "they wouldn't happen to have a hotline we can help?"

Seth shook his head. "The advice they gave me last time was solid enough."

"We need to get underground," said Lance. "But, we can't just jump into the sewers and start running around!"

"Not unless we're the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," said Seth.

"Hold on," said Lance, as he darted back towards the newsstand.

"I say we just get as close to this spot as possible," said David. "Maybe we can find a hidden entrance or something around there."

"There could just be a distractor spell that's warding people off," said Seth. "We might as well try it."

"Look at this," said Lance, returning to Seth and David with an unfolded map in his hands. "It's a map of the subway system."

Seth's eyes lit up. "Is that where a subway stop is?"

"No," said Lance. "But look where the place would be on this subway map. See how that subway line splits into two just around that same point?"

Seth and David were both befuddled by the discovery. Why did the line just branch off into two at that very point, only to reunite shortly after? Were the people who built the subway secretly deterred by a distractor spell?

"How are we supposed to get there?" asked David. "It's between stops."

"We can't get there by train," replied Seth. "We'll just have to ride Raxtus through the subway instead."

The boys then made their way over to the nearest subway station, where they headed to the lower level and waited for the next northbound train to arrive. They boarded it, knowing to get off at the fifth stop. It had been Seth's first time on a subway train, though he was enjoying the experience fairly well as it rumbled through the tunnel.

At the fifth stop, the boys got off and waited for the train to further continue its trip past the station.

"Now what?" asked Lance.

Seth led Lance and David over to the northern end of the platform, then stood behind David and opened up his backpack. He reached in and helped Raxtus climb out, then placed him on the floor.

"Okay, Raxtus. Turn back into a dragon and quickly render yourself invisible."

Without speaking, Raxtus' body began to expand. It grew back into a dragon, who wasted no time in turning invisible before the boys' eyes. Seth climbed onto Raxtus' back, seemingly floating in middair.

"Come on, you guys," said Seth, prompting Lance and David to join him, although they were more cautious of the whole idea. "Okay, Raxtus. Fly us into that tunnel."

The boys could feel as Raxtus leaped up into the air and floated above the subway tracks, then slowly soared into the tunnel. The tunnel itself wasn't too dark, thanks to all the lights that were doted in the corner. However, as Raxtus flew further away from the station, the lighting did get significantly dimmer.

Up ahead, Seth could see where the tracks branched off in two directions. Beyond where the tracks split, stood a large, bleak wall. Could this be what they were trying to reach?

Seth instructed Raxtus to land just beyond where the tracks split. He did so, and the boys climbed down off of him. Raxtus then became visible as soon as Seth requested it.

"There's nothing here," said Lance, examining the wall with a flashlight. "Maybe the sisters were wrong on this one."

"I guess those sisters don't get out much," said David, also looking around with a flashlight. He then shook his head in disbelief. "No way, I see it!"

"See what?" asked Seth.

"Through Zavarok," said David. "He can sense a large opening in the wall!"

"Are you serious?" asked Seth doubtfully. "If there were an opening, Raxtus would've noticed it."

"Maybe Raxtus didn't say anything because he can't speak for himself," said Lance suggestively.

Seth smacked his forehead. "Of course. Raxtus, do you see an opening in this wall?"

"I do."

Seth didn't know whether be be relieved or dumbfounded. "I can't see it, but I'll take your word for it. It feels like the distractor spell must be trying to keep us away or something."

"What do we do?" asked Lance. "I heard about distractor spells before."

"Just get onto Raxtus back and don't let go," said Seth climbing back onto the dragon. He waited for Lance and David to join him. "Okay, Raxtus, take us through the opening. And you two, close your eyes."

"Of course," said Raxtus. Not wanting to be deterred by the distractor spell Seth closed his eyes, and felt as Raxtus walked closer towards the wall. A large trembling sound to his left startled him, until he realized that a train was passing him to the left.

"Are we okay?" asked Lance.

Seth opened his eyes, and could see that they were now in a smaller tunnel, barely large enough for Raxtus to stand in. He turned around and could see the entrance to the tunnel, beyond which lay the larger subway tunnel.

Looking back ahead, the group of four progressed through the small tunnel. After only what felt like several yards, they came across the end, finding only a large hole in the ground. Seth gazed down the hole, unable to sense where the bottom could even be.

"Down there?" asked Lance.

"This has to be the place," replied Seth. "Unfortunately. Guess one of those New York condominiums were too good for her."

"How are we even supposed to get down?" asked David. "The walls look too smooth for someone to climb.

"Raxtus might not be able to fly down it," said Seth. "But I bet he could climb down, with us on his back."

"I don't see what other choice we have," said Lance, looking back and forth between Raxtus and the hole.

Seth climbed back onto Raxtus, leading Lance and David to do the same. He then told Raxtus to attempt to climb down the hole. Raxtus turned his backside toward the hole, and lowered his talons down into it, keeping his claws on ledge.

Raxtus made his way down the hole, his nails piercing into the wall for support like pitons. After a few moments, all three boys instinctively shone their flashlights downward, unable to locate a bottom.

"How deep is this thing?" asked David.

"Wish I knew," said Seth. "Only clue we got was a map with a circle on it."

Lance looked back up. "Hey, we had to have gone deeper than that!"

Seth and David both looked up. What Lance spoke of was correct. The top of hole was no more than six feet above Raxtus' claws. But Raxtus had certainly gone deeper than that, hadn't he?

"Raxtus, stop!" said Seth, ordering the dragon to refrain from descending deeper.

"We've been going down this whole time," said David. "What gives?"

"Is this part of the distractor spell?" asked Lance.

"I... don't think so," answered Seth. "Unless it's some other kind of spell that's playing tricks on us. Let's try going down again, only, we'll look up and see how deep we actually get. Raxtus, continue climbing down."

Raxtus made his way further down the hole. This time, however, Seth, Lance and David kept their eyes fixated at the top, watching as it shrank from view as they went lower into the pit.

"I wonder if we're almost there," said David after a minute had passed, prompting the boys to all look down the pit. Still no bottom was in sight. When they looked back up, they were startled to see the top. They were right back where they started.

"What's going on?" exclaimed Lance. "We're right back where we started!"

"No kidding," commented David. "But, how?"

"I know," said Seth. "We'll try this again. You two look down, and I'll keep looking up. Raxtus,climb down again."

Raxtus proceeded with climbing downward. Seth looked back up at the top, while Lance and David gazed down the hole. As Raxtus descended the hole for several yards, it appeared to Seth that they were indeed going deeper than they had before.

"We're getting somewhere," said Seth.

"Still a long way down on our end," noted Lance.

Seth looked down and could still not see the end of the seemingly bottomless pit. Reluctantly, he turned his back up and was startled to see that they were now only a few feet from the top again.

"This isn't working!" moaned Seth, as he explained the situation to Lance and David.

"Maybe Raxtus can detect the bottom," said Lance.

"I hope you're right," said Seth. "Raxtus, what do you see down there?"

The dragon looked down the pit for himself. "Nothing. Just a long, winding hole."

"This pit is playing a trick on us," said Seth. "Maybe we're not climbing down fast enough. If this pit really is bottomless, it'd be fun to jump down."

"Are you nuts?" asked Lance. "Say this pit really _is_ bottomless. After falling for too long, you'd kill yourself."

Seth looked down the pit again. "It doesn't look so scary. Besides, magical places like these are always filled with improbable riddles. I'd bet that this pit isn't bottomless, but just a way to trick us."

Seth then leapt off of Raxtus, and let himself plunge down the pit. Lance and David shrieked in horror, just as Seth could feel his feet hitting solid ground painlessly.

In front of Seth stood another dank tunnel. He turned his head back up the pit, where he could see Raxtus and the boys dangling roughly ten feet over him.

"You guys!" shouted Seth. "It's safe! The bottomless thing is an illusion! Trust me!"

"Seth!" shouted David. "Is this a trick?"

"I don't have time for this," Seth said to himself. "Raxtus! Let go of the wall!"

Lance and David both screamed as Raxtus let go of the wall and let himself plummet down the pit with the boys on his back, landing next to Seth.

"Holy geez!" gasped Lance. "Don't scare us like that!"

"I _knew_ it was a trick," said Seth. "The only way to get down the hole was by avoiding your instincts. Keeps most souls out of a place like this. Otherwise, we could be climbing down forever."

"Let's just get a move on," said David. "The sooner we can get this over with, the sooner we can get back to Fablehaven and apologize to everyone."

"We are gonna get _sooo _busted," lamented Seth. "Too bad there wasn't some treasure to find that we could take back with us. That'd show them."

The three boys and Raxtus made their way down the tunnel, which was no more than fifty feet long. At the end of the tunnel stood a large, mahogany door with a rounded top. The large metal knob was circular, like the kind Seth associated with doors found inside castles.

Seth placed his hands on the doorknob and proceeded to slowly pull the door forward. As the door creaked open, it revealed a small room, no larger than a closet. In the center of the room, sat an old, feeble-looking hag. Undoubtedly, it was none other than the aforementioned witch that the Singing Sisters spoke of.


	9. The Knot

**Chapter 9: The Knot**

Seth, Lance and David all stared directly at the bitter old hag who sat before them. Images of Muriel, still a prisoner in her ivy shack back at Fablehaven, came rushing through Seth's mind. Upon first glance, the similarity between the two women was uncanny.

"Who are you?" exclaimed the witch. "What brings you here? I've been waiting awaiting a visit for too many years!"

Seth continued to stare at the witch, and noticed that she was bound to her chair by a knotted rope.

"Excuse us," said Seth. "But we came here seeking your power. We kinda need your help."

"It figures," said the witch, "that it's not I you seek. It's merely my power. How dreadfully bleak."

"What gives?" asked David. "I thought that this witch was gonna help us!"

The witch snickered. "As you can see I am bound by this magical rope. But releasing these knots will give me great hope. For when they are gone I shall be set free. It's what I yearn for, do you not agree?"

"What's she talking about?" asked Lance.

"There was a witch I dealt with before," said Seth. "Muriel Taggert. She was also tied down by a knotted rope like this one. However, if someone came to Muriel for a favor, she could grant it if they willingly blew away on one of the knots. Once all the knots were used up, she was free."

"What happens if we free her?" asked David.

Seth flinched. "Well, when we freed Muriel from her final knot, she almost... took over Fablehaven."

Lance looked around the floor of the small, dank room. "Look at this rope, you guys. There's gotta be at least six, seven knots still here."

"That means until the last knot is undone, she..." muttered David. "Hold on a second. We don't even know your name!"

"My name?" asked the witch. "Oh, how rude of me. I am called Hespera. But, who are you three?"

The three boys took turns announcing their names to Hespera.

"The dragon," said Hespera. "What about him? Hasn't said a word. Might he be dim?"

"Don't you mind Raxtus," said Seth. "He's just shy."

"The dragon does not give me much hope. It's you three I want. You'll undo my rope."

"Now hold on a second," said Lance. "We came here for one favor and one favor only. We're only going to undo one knot. Let the rest be someone else's problem."

David rubbed his head. "What if it's a trick?"

Hespera's eyes bulged open upon hearing the remark.

"I mean, say we undo a knot, but she doesn't agree to help us. Or she does something we didn't ask for."

"I'll grant all requests, if they're within reason. I cannot betray you, for that would be treason. Should somebody blow upon a knot, I follow through, or it stays taut."

"Seems simple enough," said Lance. "We'll let you fulfil our one request and be on our way."

"Is that what you see me as? Sort sort of tool? I find that selfish, greedy and cruel. Down here I've been banished for far too long. I'd give anything for attention. Is that really so wrong? See those rats crawling around? They've been the only friends I've found."

The boys all looked down and saw several rats scampering around behind where Hespera was seated.

"Gross," said David.

"They've given me company, food and pleasure. When it's all you've got, they're something you treasure."

"No offense," said Lance, "but if our mom saw rats like these, she'd call an exterminator."

"Why not just get Mrs. Taylor's cat!" laugh David. "Even Boomer's scared of _that_ feline!"

"Cease the ridicule of my rodent friends," said Hespera sternly. "Or your journey will reach a dead end. What service of mine do you so desire? I'll help you out. I'm no liar."

"Well," said David. "I have problem. See, there's this demon who's possessed me."

Hespera's eyes lit up. "A demon you say? How very weird. Demons are strong and vastly feared. From you I did not sense such power. But I'll sense your body. Detect if it's dour. You needn't blow upon a knot. I can sense dark forces, believe it or not."

"Okay," said David, holding out his hands, palms facing upwards. Seth could sense the David was truly scared, as Hespera placed her wrinkly, old hands down upon his, the tips her long, yellowed fingernails rested past David's wrists.

Seth watched as Hespera squinted, shook her head lightly, and wriggled both her nose and lips about. After several seconds passed, she removed her hands from David's. "It appears that you have spoken the truth. I sensed the demon. That alone is proof. Now blow upon a knot and willingly comply. I'll release the demon. You can bid him goodbye."

"Okay," said David. "What do I have to do?"

"I think I remember," said Seth. "Back when Muriel was still around, you simply took a knot and said, Of my own free will, I sever this knot. Then you blow on it and the witch can use her magic to fulfil your request."

"Exactly right, you smart, young lad," said Hespera. "Your knowledge is great. You should be glad."

"You're sure about this?" asked David.

"Should my magic fail, it won't benefit me. It it doesn't work, the knot returns, you see."

Hespera picked up the rope and presented a knot to David, who accepted it. "Okay. Let's do this. Release the demon from within me. Of my own free will, I sever this knot."

David blew upon the knot in his hand, causing it to unravel. Hespera smiled wickedly, then extended her hands out towards David. A mysterious, black energy flowed out from her fingertips, and engulfed David's entire body. Seth and Lance watched as Hespera raised her hands into the air, bringing with it the flow of dark energy. As the energy floated away from David, Seth could see that it was now wrapped around some mysterious, yet seemingly invisible entity. As the entity left David's body, Seth could feel a dark presence emanating from it. It had to be Zavarok.

"Is that it?" asked Lance, looking at the ball of energy, that was no bigger than his head, as Hespera placed it down beside her. Although she ceased control of it, the ball of energy remained by her side.

David flinched. "It's gone! Zavarok is really gone! I can feel it! Thank you!"

Hespera laughed, the tossed away the rope that had kept her bound for ages.

The three boys gasped. "I though she was still tied down," said Lance.

"What's going on?" asked Seth. "You've still got like six knots left!"

"That's because only _one_ true knot remained," said Hespera. "The others were fakes. Non-magical. Plain. I duped you into releasing my very last knot. And for me it is freedom that you have just brought."

Seth glared at Hespera. He was unaware of the full extent of her powers, even though she just appeared to be little more than a feeble, old hag.

"That's not fair!" exclaimed Lance. "How could she pull a trick like that on us?"

"Because," replied Seth, "_we're_ dumb enough to fall for a trick like that!"

"You simpletons freed me," said Hespera, "for that I am grateful. Even though your ideals of witches are hateful. I'll let you leave now, completely scot-free. But trouble me once more, and you'll be sorry."

"What about Zavarok?" asked David. "Let him go! He's supposed to be free now!"

"My agreement was to merely free him from you. Give him back? Sorry. No can do."

"Stupid witch!" said Seth. "I'll show you!"

"Though my magic now is very low," said Hespera. "I shall warn you. My tricks I still know."

"She's weak," said Seth. "This'll be easy. Raxtus! Pummel the witch! Give her everything you got!"

Raxtus looked over at Hespera, then crossed his eyes and slowly began to walk over to her, as if he were a mindless robot.

"You delinquents have all been acting like brats," said Hespera, holding out her hands. "With last of my magic, you will all turn to rats!"

Four bolts of purple energy all shot out from Hespera's hands, each one hitting Seth, Lance, David and Raxtus. As the magic consumed Seth's body, he could immediately feel himself starting to shrink. David and Lance shrieked as they too shrunk down in size. After becoming quite small, Seth, feeling rather dizzy, fell to his hands, and could feel his bones rearranging themselves, while his clothes faded into fur. A tail shot out of his rear, and before Seth knew it, he, Lance, David and even Raxtus had all been transformed into rats.

Hespera snickered viciously, then darted out of the room and down the hallway. Seth looked around, and could make out only three rats gazing at him. Two were brown, while the other had silvery, almost platinum-like fur.

"Great," said one of the brown rats, whom Seth quickly recognized was David. "This is just great..."

"What is going on?" snarled Raxtus, the platinum rat. "Seth! You are in _so_ much trouble for this!"

Though he was no larger than Seth in their current forms, Raxtus scampered over to him and forced his paws upon Seth's shoulders. No doubt, the transformation had cancelled out the effects of his previous enchantment.

"Let go!" squealed Seth, attempting to resists Raxtus' assault."

"You think I'm stupid?" asked Raxtus. "I've been with you this whole time! I had no control over myself, but I knew exactly what's been going on! Possessing me! Flying to the Weird Sisters! Now this! You didn't even ask permission from anyone to go through with this either! Not mine or your guardians!"

"Look, Raxtus," began Seth.

"Sorry won't cut it!" blurted Raxtus, trying to stand up on his hind legs. "This was a horrible, idiotic thing you did! You freed your friend from some demon, but at what price? Freeing some witch? Getting us all turned into rats?

"Raxtus," said Lance. "I know you're mad, but please calm down! We're all in serious trouble, and-"

"You were in on this too!" said Raxtus. "It's because of you that David even came to Fablehaven!"

"Please don't yell at them!" exclaimed Seth. "I brought this upon all of us."

"Look, I'm sorry about Zavarok!" squeaked David. "It wasn't my choice to get possessed by a demon!"

"You just had to come to Seth for help, didn't you?" asked Raxtus.

"I thought since Seth had been possessed in the past, he'd be more understanding," explained Lance.

"It's not like I had many options," said David stubbornly.

"EVERYBODY SHUDDAP!" blared Seth, earning the other three's attention. "Look, we can argue about whose fault this is all day! It's not gonna fix anything!"

"Well, it's not _my_ fault," said Raxtus. "I can at least say _that_ with confidence."

Seth took in a deep breath. "Look, the four of us have been transformed into rats at the bottom of some forgotten oubliette underneath New York City. Right now, all I wanna do is get back to Fablehaven and get some H-E-L-P. Can we at least agree on _that_?"

"I agree," said Raxtus, trying to feel his backside. "And if you hadn't allowed that witch to be free and turn me into a stupid rat, I could just fly us all home..

"So, how do we get home, anyway?" asked Lance.

"We'll have to investigate," said Seth.

"Wait a minute," said David. "What about Umbriel? Isn't it her job to assist you?"

"You're right," said Seth, feeling his front toes for her ring, but being unable to locate it. "I can't find my ring!"

"What could have happened to it?" asked Lance.

"I've been wearing it all day!" exclaimed Seth. "It wouldn't just fall off!"

"Maybe you lost it when got turned into rats?" asked David.

"I still would've noticed it," sighed Seth. "It must've disappeared along with the rest of my clothes when we were transformed. Without it, I can't summon Umbriel. And the only way I know to get it back is to transform back into a human."

"Well that's great," said Lance. "How're we supposed to get all the way to Fablehaven now? We're rats! Nobody wants anything to do with us!"

"Maybe we don't have to go the whole way ourselves," said Seth. "All we have to do is find a phone and call for help."

Quickly adapting to the principle of being a quadruped, Seth led the others out of the dank room and down the hallway through which they entered. After scampering for about a minute, they reached the peculiar shaft that they had previously descended down.

"How're we supposed to get out of here?" asked Raxtus, gazing up the shaft. "I can't fly like this!"

"How's anyone supposed to get out?" asked Lance. "Even for a human, this shaft is way too high."

"And people must've been here in the past," noted David. "Unless they had the power to overcome this hole."

"Or they at least brought some rope," added Seth.

Raxtus examined the wall, then placed his claws against it and felt around. "Hey, these claws may be small, but they feel pretty sturdy. Bet we could climb out of here as we are now."

Seth looked up the wall. "Looks pretty high. You sure we can make it?"

"We got nothing to lose," said David. "Besides, would you rather hang out down here?"

"He's got a point," said Lance.

The four rats all placed their front paws upon the wall. Seth dug his claws into the wall, then raised his rear right foot and clenched it upon the wall as well. His other foot followed, and soon Seth, as well as the others, were climbing up the wall, almost like one would with a ladder.

They all clambered up the wall as quickly and efficiently as they could, and before long they all reached the top with little difficulty. They then made their way down the next small tunnel, which brought them back out into the subway system.

"Where now?" asked Lance.

"I dunno," replied Seth. "I guess we just make our way up to street level and try to find a phone."

At that moment, a heavily rumbling sound drew nearer, and a subway train boomed passed them, heading southbound. The trains were loud enough as a human, but to the rats, sounded and felt worse than an earthquake.

"This way," said Seth, leading his friends over to and down the other track. They hurried down the track for several minutes, then stopped to cover their ears as another trains rumbled over them. They continued down the track, evading another train in the process, until they finally reached the next station.

At the end of the station was a small stairwell for subway workers leading from the platform to track level, which the rats used to get onto the platform. Several other people were standing on the platform, waiting for the next train to arrive, but didn't notice their entrance.

"We don't want to attract too much attention," said David. "Someone's bound to freak out and cause some uproar, just because a lot of people despise rats."

"If we can't get out of here safely," said Seth, "we'll be trapped... like rats. Sorry, but I've always wanted to say that."

"When the next train arrives, we can try to hide below the people getting off, and maybe make our way out of the station," said Lance.

"It's worth a shot," said Seth.

The rats waited by the end of the platform for a moment, until a train pulled in to the station. A small crowd of people began exiting the train, prompting the group to dash over and hide amongst their feet. Seth kept his pace, having great difficulty keeping his eyes on the others as they passed through behind the crowd.

"I think this is working," said Lance, as they followed the last of the crowd up onto the escalator. They all rode up upon a single step, making their way through to the next level of the station. Making their way off the escalator, they group make their way past the turnstiles, and finally came across a stairwell leading to the street.

Going up a flight of stairs had never been a real challenge in the past, but being in the body of a rat no doubt put emphasis in the concept of climbing stairs. Fortunately, their rodent bodies were adept to scampering up stairs. Seth leapt up step after step with ease, in a manner that would've been impossible as a human.

Before long, they reached the top of the stairwell, and were now standing on a sidewalk in the middle of Manhattan. To one side, pedestrian, all of whom towered over them, were marching up and down along the sidewalk. To the other side, vehicles were honking their horns amongst all the traffic.

"So," said Raxtus, looking admiring the city from the current perspective, "where do you suggest we go from here? Where's this phone you speak of?"

Seth sighed. "I don't know."


	10. Helter Skelter

**Chapter 10 – Helter Skelter**

Following their instincts, Seth, Lance, David and Raxtus all darted to the far end of the sidewalk. Having been transmogrified into rats, the quartet feared that they would draw unwanted attention from the denizens of humans walking past them on the sidewalk.

Seth leaned against the wall of the large building that bordered the sidewalk. Being a skyscraper, the building was already large to begin with, but from his new perspective, it appeared to go up for miles.

"This city really got a whole lot bigger," said Lance, getting a chance to admire the view.

"I think I liked it better when it didn't feel so big," said Raxtus, leaning his paw against the wall of the building. "And I thought my _human_ form was small."

David looked up at the various people who walked back and forth past the group on the sidewalk. They all paid zero attention to the group, or had failed to notice them altogether. "Let's get out of here. Someone's bound to go after us sooner or later."

"Like maybe a dog or something," said Lance. "Boomer's always chasing squirrels for no reason."

"Look, all we gotta do is find a phone, and we'll be on easy street," said Seth, leading the group around to the side of the building, and into an alleyway. Although not too wide, it was far more than sufficient enough for the group of rats to seek refuge in.

"So, where do you humans keep these phones?" asked Raxtus. "I know you have those pockets in your clothes, but not as you are now."

"Look, if we still had access to our cell phones, we'd have used them in a heartbeat," said Seth. "But they're no more accessible than my ring."

"And other cell phones are out of the question," said David. "No rat can just go up to someone and ask to use their phone."

"How about a pay phone?" asked Lance.

"I don't think so," said David. "We'd have to find change somewhere, and find a place where we can make a call without getting caught."

"I say we look for a private land line somewhere," said Seth.

"Where do we start?" asked Lance.

"Anywhere, really," replied Seth. "This building right here, it could work."

"And how are we supposed to get in?" asked Raxtus.

"Through the door," said David. "Just like with any other building."

The group followed David back around to the front of the building, and over towards the pair of closed glass doors in the center.

"So how do we open the door like this?" asked Raxtus. "It's way too big."

Seth looked up at the building before them. Even though he was small, he could tell that it was easily two or three dozen stories high.

"This building must have lots of people working in it, and it's the middle of the day, even if it's a Saturday. Someone's gonna come in or out sooner or-"

Suddenly, one of the doors swung open, nearly smacking into the four rats, and a woman in a business suit marched out the of the building holding a briefcase. As the woman stepped away from the door, it slowly began to swing back into its closed position.

"NOW!" squealed Seth, indicating for the others to make a mad dash around the closing door and into the lobby of the building.

Now inside, the rats made their way over to a front corner of the lobby, seeking shelter behind a potted plant. Seth examined his surroundings. There were several elevators along the far wall, with hallways leading off to to the left and right.

"Down this way," said Seth, leading the others to the far wall, where the elevators loomed high above their shoulders.

"How're we supposed to use one of these?" asked David, looking up at the reflective elevator doors. "We can't even reach the button."

"If I could fly..." said Raxtus suggestively.

"Hold it," said Seth, looking down one of the hallways. "We don't need to go upstairs. "We can just enter one of the rooms on the first floor."

"That's no easier than using an elevator," said Lance. "We've gotta get through one of these doors, and I don't see how we could do such a thing, even with an unlocked one."

"Should we wait for someone to leave, then run in after them like we did getting in here?" asked David.

"Too risky," said Seth. "The hallway's long, and we can't predict which door's gonna open next. We're much more likely to get spotted in a place like this."

"I know," said Lance. "Next person who comes in the building, we follow them wherever they go."

"It's a start," said Raxtus.

"So long as it's a room with a phone," said Lance. "Once we're in a room, we'll wait for it to clear out, then we'll have the place to ourselves."

They waited behind another potted plant, this one closer to the elevators than the third. A few minutes later, and someone entered through the front door. It appeared to be the same lady who had unintentionally let them in a few moments ago, still carry a briefcase in one hand. In the other hand, she held a piping-hot cup of coffee.

The rats eyed the lady as she walked up to the elevators. She fumbled to push the call button with her left hand, the same one she was using to hold the coffee, but was unable to let go of the cup. She then placed her briefcase onto the floor and reached for the call button with her right hand.

"Onto the briefcase," squeaked Seth. "Now!"

The rats darted across the hallway and over to the house-sized briefcase, the exterior of which appeared to be made of leather. Seth pounced onto the side of the briefcase, his nails digging into the leather, prompting the others to follow his lead.

At that moment, one of the elevator doors slid open. The woman then picked up the briefcase, unaware that four rats were clinging to the side, and entered the elevator. As she turned around to face the button panel, the briefcase gently smacked against the wall. Seth squealed lightly. He wanted to scream, but refrained from doing so, and assumed that the others felt the same.

The elevator went up a good number of floors. It was impossible for Seth to tell how many, as he was unable to see the floor indicator from behind the briefcase.

A moment later, the elevator stopped moving. The doors then slid open, and the woman walked out, carrying her briefcase, as well as the rats. The woman travelled down a hallway, then stopped in front of a door, placing her briefcase down on the floor. Seth couldn't see what she was doing, but he could hear her fumbling with the keys in pocket. She then unlocked the door and carried the briefcase inside.

Seth could tell they were in a private office, around the size of his bedroom. The woman placed the suitcase down on the floor next to her desk, put her coffee on the desk itself, and sat down in her swivelling chair.

As the woman became engrossed by her computer, the rats crept down from the suitcase, and made their way around to the front of the desk. There didn't appear to be many places to hide. They weren't afraid of finding a bad hiding spot, as the woman seemed oblivious to their presence. However, they didn't want to get caught due to not hiding at all.

Seth decided that the safest placed to hide was between a small bookshelf and a filing cabinet, which had a small space between them.

The rats laid low for several hours. The last place they wanted to get spotted was on the spot in this very woman's office. Most people would freak out at the sight of a rat on their premises, let alone four. The woman might try to kill them, or prevent them from leaving while she called for help.

After what felt like an eternity, the woman packed up her things, and made her way out of the office, locking the door behind her. Anxious, the rats crept out from their hiding spot, and began exploring the room.

"How long were we in there?" asked Lance.

"Good question," said Seth, instinctively checking his wrist for the time, before remember that his watch was missing.

"There's a clock up on that wall," said David, directing the others' attention the side of the room opposite where they had hidden. The time displayed on the clock read three past five.

"I'm starving," said Raxtus, rubbing his stomach. The others are agreed in unison.

"Well, I don't know where to get food," said Seth. "This is someone's office, not a restaurant."

Lance made his way over to the wastebasket, leaped up to the top rim and grabbed on, accidentally knocking it over. Several pieces of scrunched-up paper rolled out, as did some dirty tissues, and the woman's coffee cup from earlier.

"It's empty," said Lance, sticking his face into the cup. "I know it was only coffee, but I don't care!"

Seth made his way around to the back of the desk, and began to climb to the top. He was able to use the handles on the drawers as rungs, and got up with little difficulty. "There might be something to eat in one of these drawers. Come up and help me look!"

The others climbed up onto the desk after Seth. They then looked down at the row of drawers beneath them.

"Okay," said Raxtus. "So how are we supposed to open this drawer?"

Seth reached down, barely managing to grab onto the handle of the topmost drawer. "Form a chain. Someone grab my feet."

Seth could feel a pair of paws wrapping themselves around his hind feet. "We gotcha," said Lance from behind him.

"I've got the handle. All of you. Push!"

As the others pushed him forward, Seth could feel three drawer beneath him start to open. Once it was opened far enough, he lost his grip on the handle and plummeted into the drawer itself, landing between several loose pens.

Seth examined the contents of the drawer. Looking around, he various items including more pens, pencils, an eraser, a bottle of Wite-Out, and a packet of paperclips. Behind the paperclips, he noticed something crinkly. Seth went to check it out, and almost screamed. It was an unopened Snickers bar!

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Seth, as he dragged the chocolate bar out from the back of the drawer. "Look what I found!"

"Snickers!" cried Lance and David with glee, once the bar came into their line of sight.

"Snickers?" asked Raxtus. "What is Snickers?"

"You'll see!" said Seth, as he raised the bar out of the drawer into a vertical position. "Help me get it out, guys!"

Seth lifted the chocolate bar upwards, while the other three pulled it onto the desk. For them, it was like trying to move a piece of small furniture. Seth then climbed onto the top of the desk, where the chocolate bar was sitting before them.

"Do the honors, Seth," said Lance. Seth pierced the wrapper with his claws and tore it open. He then peeled the wrapper off the entire chocolate bar, exposing it completely.

"Dig in!" said Seth, tearing out a piece of the sweet treat. He had received a combination of chocolate, caramel, nougat and a peanut in his portion, which he graciously shoved into his mouth. The taste was so satisfying, that he ate it far faster than he would've had he been a human with an equally large piece.

After the boys had begun eating, Raxtus tore out a small piece for himself. He stuck it into his mouth and proceeded to chew, only to spit it out in disgust. "Eww!" he groaned. "How can you eat that thing?"

"Aren't you hungry?" asked Seth nervously.

"I can't eat that! It's awful!"

David shook his head. "I don't get it. How can you not like a Snickers?"

"Maybe he's allergic to peanuts?" said Lance suggestively.

"Peanuts?" asked Raxtus. "What else is in this thing?"

"Chocolate," replied David. "Caramel."

"This is candy, right?" asked Raxtus. "Like, with sugar?"

"Exactly," answered Lance.

"I get it," said Seth. "The ingredients in this bar are all things that the dragon within Raxtus would never otherwise consume. No wonder he hates it. His system's rejecting them."

"Is there not anything else in there I could eat?" asked Raxtus anxiously. "I'm starving. And it's not like I got much to snack on flying you three around the country, I'll have you know."

"The chocolate bar was the only food I saw in there," said Seth assuredly. Nevertheless, he didn't know what else Raxtus could even consume, and if there was actually something else within the office.

"We can't spend forever looking for food," said Lance. "To be honest, I can't even think of a way out of this place. The door's locked, and we're too small to really do anything."

"Raxtus, we'll help you search for food, whether we're successful or not," said David. "Seth, just call your folks already."

Wiping the excess chocolate off of his snout, Seth made his way over to the phone, while the others jumped down to the chair, presumably to search through more drawers. The phone was the kind Seth had in numerous offices. Corded, black, with about thirty different buttons on the base.

Seth placed his paws underneath the headset, and slowly managed to lift it off of the base. He placed it down next to he phone, then flipped it over, so that the ear and mouthpieces were facing the ceiling. From the earpiece, Seth could hear a dial tone.

Seth turned to face many buttons on the base of the phone. However, all that mattered to him were the ones on the number pad. He leaned over and dialled his home phone number, one button at a time.

"Hello?" asked Mrs. Sorenson through the earpiece.

"Mom!" squeaked Seth. "It's me, Seth!"

"Hello?" asked Mrs. Sorenson a second time.

"Mom!" shouted Seth in a louder voice than before. "It's me!"

"Is anyone there?" asked Mrs. Sorenson.

"Who is it?" asked Mr. Sorenson's voice from out of the background.

"I don't know," replied Mrs. Sorenson to her husband. "It's long distance, but I can't hear anything but squeaking on the other end."

Seth paused. Although he had been screaming for his mother the whole time, she apparently couldn't understand him.

"You think it's Seth, or someone he's with?" asked Mr. Sorenson anxiously.

Mrs. Sorenson sighed. "It's probably just a telemarketer."

Seth listened as his mother hung up. Feeling downtrodden, his hopes of behind rescued had diminished.

"What's going on?" asked Lance, who had climbed back onto the desk.

"They can't understand me," said Seth, as he returned the headset to the base of the phone. My voice just sounds like squeaking to them."

Lance looked at the phone. "Too bad this isn't a cell phone. We could just text for help."

Seth snorted. "Yeah, too bad we have no way of writing a wireless message..."

Seth then looked at the keyboard and monitor that stood before him. "Of course! We'll send a message on the computer!"

Lance nodded. "I'll go search for the power button. It's probably below the desk somewhere!"

Seth waited atop the desk for about thirty seconds, until the monitor suddenly switched on. As he watched the computer load up, Lance, David and Raxtus all gathered around him.

"We checked the other drawers, but found nothing to eat," said David.

"This computer thing better work," said Raxtus.

Soon the computer loaded up to the Windows desktop. He then noticed an instant messenger application on the screen, scrolled over to it with the mouse, and clicked on it, opening it up."

"A rat and his mouse," commented David.

Seth reached across the keyboard, slowly entering his login information. Once he was signed in, he could see that his own father was online.

"She's here!" exclaimed Seth, opening a new window to communicate with his father.

_Seth, is that you? _wrote Mr. Sorenson.

_Yes_

_Where did you go?_

Struggling to reach for the keys, Seth entered his response. The others help him press the shift and enter keys. _It's a long story. Please send help._

_We've been worried sick about you! And this whole thing with David! What's going on?_

_We freed Zavarog but have been turned into rats. We're sorry. We admit defeat. Please help_

_Where are you?_

_An office in Manhattan somewhere_

_Where, exactly?_

_I don't know_

_I'll ask the others for advice. Can you hold on?_

_Yes_

The four rats stood around for several minutes, desperately awaiting a response from Kendra.

_I'm back. We talked it over. Kendra and Warren are doing some investigating with Geminus. But we've left a message with them. They'll come over for you later, but it could be several hours. ince Raxtus is a fairy dragon, Geminus should be able to sense him._

_Do we just wait around here then?_

_I guess. Everybody wants to have a long chat with you four once you get back, so I won't ask you any more questions. I can tell that you've gotten you and your friends into some pretty steep trouble._

_Thanks for reminding me. _

_Since I shouldn't ask more questions, I'll be waiting for you._

_Thank you._


	11. Consequences

**Chapter 11: Consequences**

Seth had curled up into a ball, and was nestled against the lamp upon the far corner of the desk. Although he had not fallen asleep, he had exhausted himself from his voyage. He needed rest, and with no way to immediately contact Kendra or Warren, did not know how to continue beyond mere waiting for several hours.

Over on the other end of the desk, Seth could see Lance and David curled up together. He envied them. Now that Zavarok had been freed from David, the two boys could truly embrace in their own brotherly love. Seth couldn't help but admit he was jealous. He was a lone shadow charmer in world full of good-hearted mortals and fairies alike.

Not too far from Lance and David was Raxtus. He too was alone. Seth thought to himself. He wanted to think of himself as a friend of Raxtus, but after today, he could hardly be considered anything but. He felt terrible, forcibly using Raxtus to fulfil his own desires. Seth meant well, but it was possible things had become far worse than they should've been due to his meddling.

Just then, the four rats were startled by the sound of the doorknob being jostled.

"Get up!" exclaimed Seth. "Somebody's coming!"

Seth looked up and saw that the computer was still turned on, and that whomever entered the office was very likely to find them.

"They're taking their sweet time getting the door open," said David, pointing out that the doorknob continued to rustle.

"Is it Warren?" asked Lance.

"Could be a thief," said Seth, staring at the door. "When he through the door, you can ask him."

They then heard a click sound, and the door swung open. Standing on the other side, were Kendra, Warren and Geminus, having assumed her fairy form.

"Seth?" asked Warren, surveying the room.

"Geminus claimed to sense them in here," said Kendra.

The four rats got up and walked to the front of the desk, where they stood up on their hind legs.

"Seth?" asked Kendra, looking down at the rats. "Seth" held up his paw.

"This has to be them," said Geminus, flying over to Raxtus. "This _rat_ is my Raxtus."

"You guys can't speak to us, can you?" asked Warren. The rats shook their heads in response.

"I just want to know how this happened," said Kendra. "We should turn them back to normal."

"I don't know if that's possible right now," said Warren. "Geminus and Ariel only possess so much power. We've been instructed to bring them back to Fablehaven, where transformation magic can be performed more readily.

Warren produced a small pouch from his bag. "It's not much, but you guys'll have to travel around in this on the way back.

Warren placed the pouch sideways upon the desktop, prompting the rats to crawl inside. It was dank inside the pouch, which Seth assumed was made of felt upon feeling it firsthand. Seth felt as Warren picked up the pouch, causing him and the other rats to sway together in unison as it moved around.

The top of the pouch had been left open, allowing the passengers to look out, should they choose to stare directly upwards. Soon Warren began to move, and the rats all looked up out of curiosity. Although Seth was unable to see what was going on, he sensed that Kendra and Warren cleaned up the office as best they could.

They watched as Warren made his way out of the room and into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Soon, they entered a stairwell, and could feel the movement Warren made with every step he took, as well as when he turned around to the next flight of stairs.

Moments later, they emerged onto the roof of the building. "All right, Geminus," said Kendra. "You can turn back into a dragon now."

"Okay," said Geminus, as she fluttered down to the floor before Kendra and Warren. She then spurted up in size, transforming back into her pink, dragon form. Warren and Kendra then climbed onto Geminus' back, and the dragon took flight, soaring off through the city.

As they were unable to communicate with the others, the four rats waited persistently inside the pouch, all scrunched together due to their limited confinement. Time passed slowly, and without a clock of some nature to keep track of anything, Seth had no idea how much time had truly passed, or how much actually remained.

After a lengthy wait, Seth could feel Geminus descending down through the sky. Soon, she landed on the ground, coming to a complete stop. Seth could now sense Warren carrying the pouch around, but had no idea where he was taking him.

"Here they are," said Warren, lowering the pouch down to ground, urging the rats to climb out. As Seth crawled out of the bag, he stepped between several blades of grass, which were now practically as tall as he was, at least when he stood on all fours.

Seth looked up through the grass. He was back home at Fablehaven! And standing before him were the rest of his family and friends! He was safe!

"That's Seth?" asked Mrs. Sorenson, pointing down to the rat that was actually Raxtus.

"No, thankfully," said Geminus. "Although at this point, it wouldn't really make much difference."

"Please," said Kendra, facing Bright and Clover. "Please turn them back to normal."

"Of course," said Bright, as she and Clover stood before the four rats, towering over them in comparison. The two fairy angels held out their hands, all their fingers spread out. Magical sparkles, rainbow-colored ones from Bright, green from Clover, emitted from the undersides of their hands, flowing over the four rats like snowflakes.

Almost instantly, Raxtus began to glow in a rainbow aura of colors. He quickly backed away from the other rats, but suddenly ballooned back into being a dragon. He let out a sigh in relief.

A few seconds later, Lance and David shot up into their human forms at roughly the same time. They too examined their bodies and were relieved to see the results.

Meanwhile, Seth, still a rat, could feel fairy magic surging through his body. He had now been engulfed in the fairies' sparkles, but they didn't seem to having any effect on him.

"What's wrong with Seth?" asked Mr. Sorenson.

"We're trying," said Clover hesitantly. "Let's give it some more force!"

Everyone watched as Bright and Clover's magic flowed out at a faster pace. Finally, Seth began to grow back into his human form as well. His proper self one again, he let out a guilty smile.

"I don't get it," said Clover, staring at her hands. "Why did Seth take so much longer?"

"Must be his shadow charmer dealy conflicting with our light magic." said Bright. "It'd explain why Raxtus regressed so quickly, because he's a fairy dragon."

"SETH MICHEAL SORENSON," said Mrs. Sorenson, a fierce frown etched upon her face. "WHAT THE HELL HAS HAPPENED?"

"Oh boy," said Raxtus, snarling in Seth's direction. "Where do I begin?"

"I think we need to have a little talk," said Grandpa. "Have you boys eaten lately?"

"We split a chocolate bar a while ago," said Seth. "But we could really go for a proper dinner."

"Me too!" snapped Raxtus. "I'm starving!"

"Poor thing," said Bright, as she used her magic to conjure up a small pile of linked sausages before Raxtus. The fairy dragon immediately dove right into the pile.

"Come inside," said Grandpa, directing everyone inside and into the living room, where they all seated themselves. "Now please. First tell us about that note. David has a _demon _residing within him?"

"Well, not anymore," said David. "He's out of me, now."

"And not just any demon," continued Grandpa. "But Zavarok. The twin brother of _Navarog_?"

David gulped. "Yeah."

"I've never even heard of this _Zavarok_ before in my life." said Grandma. "I wouldn't just trust some random demon ever! Especially if he claims to be Navarog's twin of all things! How stupid can you get?"

"Would you please listen to me?" exclaimed David.

"As far as I'm concerned..." began Grandpa.

Kendra blew a loud whistle with her fingers, prompting everyone to shut up. "Okay, we're not going to get anywhere by yelling at each other. I'm not keen on this whole situation myself, but we should at least let the boys explain themselves. Once they're done, _then_ we can bombard them with questions. David let's start with you. What's the deal with Zavarok?"

David proceeded to explain the story he had told Seth the previous night, in how Zavarok was Navarog's twin, but was actually a good-hearted demon.

"A good-hearted demon?" asked Bright. "There's no such thing. That demon is a liar. They all are."

"Bright, please let him finish," said Kendra. "Let's hear him out."

"Look, I don't know what the deal with Zavarok is, but he claims to be a good demon. I'm not that familiar with demons all that much myself, but that's what he's told me."

David then explained how Zavarok had possessed him, and mentioned how he still had control over his own body, even with a demon residing in it. He also explained that he didn't know of a solution to his problem, and was afraid to ask for help, thinking he, and possibly Zavarok, might be heavily punished for something wasn't even his fault in the first place. He then went on to explain how he overheard of Seth being a shadow charmer, as well as the Omega Star and figured that they might be a solution to his problem.

"I figured that if I could trust anyone with my demon problem, it would be someone with a connection to demons. And maybe, just maybe, he could use the Omega Star to help Zavarok."

"I think I've heard enough," said Grandpa. "As for you, Seth. Tell us about your little excursion today."

"Well, this whole thing took me by surprise," said Seth. "I didn't know about any of this until David told me last night. I was shocked, believe me. But I wanted to help him. I don't know why, but something just came over me. I believed his story, and could relate to being possessed by a demon myself. I too was unsure if the rest of you would be willing to help, or if you'd oppose us in some way."

"So how'd you rope poor Raxtus into all of this?" asked Grandma.

Seth made a big swallow. I assumed that no one would help us if I asked properly, so I had Umbriel place an enchantment on him, to make him obey me. It was only going to last for a little while."

"You did what?" exclaimed Warren, crossing his arms.

"I didn't know what else to do," said Seth. "It was the easiest way of getting around I could think of."

"Is that all you see Raxtus as?" asked Kendra. "A chauffeur?"

"No!" cried Seth. "I just didn't know what else to do. So, I took control of Raxtus and visited the Singing Sisters, and-"

"The Singing Sisters?" asked Grandpa. "Are you out of your mind? You still owe then a favor! I mean, they could've killed you, just showing up like that unannounced!"

"Well, Zavarok is the one who struck a deal with them," said Seth. "Not David or any of us. They're his problem now, not ours. Anyway, the Singing sisters pointed us to a witch who was capable of extracting Zavarok from David."

"What _witch_?" asked Grandpa sternly.

"She lived underneath Manhattan," replied Seth. "We got to her through a subway tunnel. She was tied up like Muriel used to be. Said her name was Hespera-"

"Hespera?" gasped Grandpa, his jaw dropped in awe. "Are you even remotely aware who Hespera is?"

Seth shook his head.

"Hespera was one of the founding members of the Society of the Evening Star," said Grandma.

Seth, Lance and David all gasped in awe. "Well..." muttered Seth, "how were we supposed to know?"

"Well, it's not like we expected you to find out about her under _these_ circumstances," said Grandpa.

"Hold on," said Warren, raising his hand. "Hespera's an enemy, right? Said to be buried away underneath an island eons ago. Well, since they found her, what's to stop us from going back and dealing with her ourselves?"

"Hespera is said to be bound by a knotted rope," said Grandpa. "Like Muriel. And she should still be if Seth and the others found her."

"And let me guess," added Grandma. "You boys used up one of Hespera's knots so that she could extract Zavarok for you?"

The boys all nodded. "Well, at least it worked," chimed in David.

"Then tell us," said Grandpa. "Why had the four of you been transmogrified into rats all of a sudden? Was this Hespera's doing?"

Seth nodded, "she tricked us. See, her rope had several fake knots that she added to it. The one David blew on was her last real knot. So then she managed to turn us into rats because she'd been set free..."

"YOU DID _WHAT_?" shrieked Grandpa, hyperventilating in distraught.

"It was an accident!" exclaimed Seth. "We didn't know..."

"Hespera helped create the Society of the Evening Star. Her main desire is to take over this very planet!

"She didn't seem so tough," said Lance. "What's she gonna do? Run around and start turning people into rats? Someone with a gun could easily shoot her."

Grandpa sighed. "She may have been weak when you initially freed her. But a witch is nothing to scoff at. If she'd been in top form, Hespera could've done things so dreadfully unimaginable, being transformed into a rat would seem like a blessing."

"So what do we do about Hespera?" asked Seth. "After she was done with us, she just took off."

"What about Zavarok?" asked Grandpa. "You told me he had been freed from David. Then what happened to him?"

"I don't know," said Seth. "Once we got turned into rats, he just seemed to vanish. I think he followed Hespera when she left."

"Great," muttered Tanu. "Just great. "You boys just mistakenly freed a notorious, exiled witch, lost track of her, and let her run off with some demon who could very well be Navarog's equal?"

Seth stuttered. "N-n-n-not on purpose. You think I'm proud of what happened? It was scary, and dangerous, and-"

"Stupid," interrupted Kendra.

"Look, things started off okay," blurted Seth. "I managed to get us to the Singing Sisters and learn about Hespera with no problems! It wasn't until the witch tricked us with those fake knots that we screwed up!"

"Seth," said Grandpa. "In a way, you're quite intelligent. But in another way, you've also proven yourself to be rather foolish. I know that your heart is in the right place, but what you did, regardless of the outcome, was foolish. You could've been killed! And let's not forget about poor Raxtus. Why would you brainwash such a loyal friend of the family for your own selfish needs?"

"Look, we didn't know what to do!" cried Seth. "Going to you guys seemed out of the question!"

"It would've been far safer than releasing a forsaken witch and a draconic deity into the world! We would've done whatever we could've to safely extract Zavarok from David. No need to get the fairies involved with such a thing except as a last resort!"

"What would you done with Zavarok?" asked David.

"I... don't know," replied Grandpa. "If he really is the good-natured demon you insist he is, it would be something else."

"So, what are we going to do about Hespera and Zavarok now?" asked Seth.

"You," said Grandpa, "are grounded! There will be no more little excursions for you! You've broken trusts and caused enough trouble as it is! You are not to leave this house! Understood?"

"But, well," muttered Seth anxiously.

"And to make sure you don't go sneaking off again, we'll appoint fairies to keep an eye on you at all times. In shifts, since they cannot stay inside from dusk 'til dawn."

Seth slowly smacked his forehead. He had his reasoning, but knew that the others had worked him into a corner, and that he couldn't think of a plausible way out.

"What about Lance and David?" asked Kendra. "Where exactly do they fall in to all of this?"

Grandpa turned to face the two brothers, who were sitting together on a couch. "I don't know," he said. "Lance, I've known is trustworthy. But David, I'm not familiar with."

"Well, we're fairly certain that their parents are good folk," said Warren. "But the mystery here, is David himself."

"The Singing Sisters assured us that he was good!" exclaimed Lance. "Look, I know David better than anyone else here. The whole story about Zavarok possessing him just has to be true! Look, you guys saved my life before! I'd never do anything dishonest in return! Will you please understand that Zavarok is a desperate entity from David, regardless of whether they're together or not?"

"This whole ordeal has been a pretty tough pill to swallow," noted Grandma. "I think some closer examination on David might be necessary, if only to verify that he doesn't have any hidden, dark essence within him."

"As for Seth," said Grandpa, "even though his exploits may have been performed in the name of good, he still broke many rules, and ultimately freed a witch and a demon. I'm afraid that his punishment will still be ensured. Seth, you are not to head to your room immediately, and to remain there for the time being. You will come out only for meals, exercise, and to use the bathroom. Understood?"

Seth sighed. "Yes."

"Good," said Grandpa, as Seth headed upstairs. Now, go to your room. Bright, Clover, you two elect some fairies to keep watch on Seth in shifts. He needs to be watched twenty-four seven."

"Will do," said Bright, as she and Clover nodded in agreement.


	12. Darkness Rising

**Chapter 12: Darkness Rising**

Seth sat back in his bed in the darkness, arms folded behind his head. The digital clock on his bedside table read 1:12. Although he was tired, he had gotten too worked up to fall asleep after the events that had transpired the previous day.

He knew he was in for it. After he had been sent to his room several hours ago, Seth had been forbidden to leave his bedroom. Sure, a plate of meatloaf had been delivered to his room by Grandma not long after his sentence. But when he tried to open the door to return the plate, he could feel that it had been sealed, which was unusual, given that it couldn't be locked from the hallway.

Instead, Seth had to knock on his door in order to get the attention of the fairy on the other side. The first time he knocked, it was to return his plate to the kitchen. However, the fairy had forbidden him from leaving his room, and instead instructed another fairy to transport the plate downstairs to the kitchen.

The second instance, was when Seth had to use the bathroom. The two fairies allowed him to go, provided they escorted him to the bathroom, which was absurd to Seth, seeing as how the room was only several feel away from his door. Nevertheless, they had allowed Seth to enter unsupervised, while they waited outside by the door. When he was ready to leave, they directed him back to his room.

Now, Seth was trapped in his room, which he had been for the past few hours. He knew that fairies were outside not only his door, but were presumably waiting outside his window, even though he had kept the blinds closed all not, and never bothered to look out. Essentially, Seth was trapped. He knew that the fairies would retaliate if he tried to pull a fast one, even though he had no plans to do so.

Seth was truly worried. Being grounded was only the least of his problems. The Knights now had to deal with Hespera and Zavarok, wherever they had gone. Even though Zavarok may or may not have been truly innocent, he appeared to be bound to Hespera, whether he liked it or not.

Or was it really such a big deal? Hespera was only a witch, right? Surely the fairies could stand against her. Of course, a sorceress with a demon on her side had always been a force to be reckoned with. Muriel had Bahamut, and Oblivion had Tritanoss. As it seemed, this feud against Hespera, and possibly Navarog's equal, would probably not be as easy as it seemed

And just how powerful was Hespera? Seth did not want to know, but feared that sooner or later, the Knights of the Dawn would eventually find out. Perhaps the fairies would aid them, or Kendra could assume her fairyprime form. It worked against impossible threats before, hadn't it?

As things stood now, Seth found himself unable to sleep. Did sleep really even matter at this point? Things were looking grim. If they weren't careful, Hespera could possibly devastate the world within in week. Seth shook his head in disbelief. She couldn't be THAT powerful, could she? But, he hadn't forgotten about Zavarok. Where did he belong in all of this?

"_Seth..." _bellowed an eerie voice, quickly grasping his attention.

Startled, but not frightened, Seth reached his hand over to his bedside table, and fumble around for the switch to his reading light. He flicked it on, illuminating the darkened room a fair bit.

"Wh-wh-who's there?" he asked cautiously.

"It's me," said the voice more thoroughly. "Zavarok."

Seth shook his head. "It can't be. I was a part of Navarog once. You sound nothing like him."

"Seth Sorenson!" snapped a fairy from outside his door. "Be quiet and go to bed! Or shall I report you?"

"I'm a drifting spirit," said Zavarok. "If I were a dragon, I'd be much louder, I can assure you."

Seth groaned. "Keep it down," he whispered. "I'm in enough trouble as it is."

"No one can hear me but you," said Zavarok. "Of that I'm sure."

"Where are you?" asked Seth in a whisper.

"I'm invisible," said Zavarok. "Even to your senses. I barely have the strength to communicate with you."

"So, you're back to the way you were, after being killed by Navarog, but before finding David?"

"Correct. I refuse to seek out another host, over fear of causing more trouble."

"I get it," said Seth. "You've come to me, because you need help, and that I'm the only one you can speak to, right?"

"That's right."

"Well, how am I supposed to help?" asked Seth. "I'm in enough trouble as it is, and the others aren't really buying your story. I'm not even certain that I can trust you."

"I wish there was a way I could prove myself to you."

"It's not that I don't believe you," said Seth. "But things are hard enough as it is. No offence, but things were going well for us until you came along."

Zavarok moaned. "I understand. Nobody wants Zavarok. I don't belong anywhere. I'm... a freak."

"Look, I didn't mean to offend you..."

"Doesn't matter that I defeated my brother, so that he could be imprisoned in the Quiet Box. When you're part demon like me, everyone expects the worst from you."

"I understand where you're coming from," said Seth. "Even before today, I've been on shaky terms with my folks now and then. It's not always fun and dandy being a shadow charmer when you're a good guy."

"I appreciate you releasing me from David."

Seth stroked his brow. "Wait, I thought you'd be content with just being separated from David. Why're you still lingering around? And for that matter, how'd you get away from Hespera?"

"After I was released from David, I saw what happened. Hespera kept me bound to her, and your group got turned into rats. However, once Hespera entered the subway tunnel, I could feel Hespera's force breaking, and I was drawn back to you somehow. But, I couldn't communicate with you, I guess because you were a rat."

"Then what?"

"I followed you around, as you made your way out of the subway and into that office. You guys ate that, what it's called? Snickers?"

"You really did follow us," said Seth. "I... believe you. But Hespera's free! Even if we wanted to, we can't go back and have her restore you!"

"I know," said Zavarok. "I tried leaving your presence, but no matter where you were, I couldn't stray far. Something was keeping us bound together."

"But why?" asked Seth.

"I don't know."

"Look, I'll tell everyone about you tomorrow," said Seth. "Whether they like it or not."

At that point, Seth's door flung open, and the two fairies that had been keeping an eye on Seth floated into his bedroom.

"Oh great," said Zavarok unenthusiastically."

"Seth," squeaked one of the fairies in a fierce voice. "We told you to keep quiet!"

"Sorry!" exclaimed Seth. "You know, I've had a bad day,"

"No excuses! If you can't get to sleep on your own, we'll make you do it!"

The two fairies aimed their hands at Seth, and expelled magical sparkles towards his face. Within seconds, his eyelids began to feel very heavy. His head collapsed on his pillow, prompting one of the fairies to fly over to his reading light and switch it off.

"Sweet dreams, Seth," said the fairy, now speaking in a more pleasant tone.

"Don't let the demons bite," chuckled the other fairy, as the two of them flew back out through the door, magically shutting it behind them.

Within seconds, Seth fell back into his pillow, and could feel his eyelids closing, as if it were an unconscious reflex his body was forcing him to do.

The next morning, Seth awoke feeling relaxed and fresh. As much as he resented the fairies for forcing him to sleep, he did appreciate the rest. However, he was uncertain to how his punishment would work. Certainly, he'd be allowed out of his room so that he could use the washroom and freshen up, right?

Seth hopped out of bed, walked over to his door and knocked on it.

"Hey, fairies! Can I use the washroom?"

There was no response.

"Oh, come on!" blurted Seth. "My folks made it clear that I can still use the bathroom when I need to! I mean, I know we're not on the best of terms, but at least do your part!"

Again, Seth heard nothing. Peeved, Seth grasped the doorknob and prepared to twist it. Surely the fairies would notice him if he tried to rebel.

The door opened normally, as though it was not being kept sealed by an external force. Seth looked around the hallway for the fairies, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Weird," said Seth, as he made his way to the bathroom.

After getting washed up, Seth returned to his room to get dressed, still finding no sign of the fairies. Knowing that he was forbidden from leaving his room, Seth made the decision to venture downstairs. He could care less if the others yelled at him. It wasn't his fault the fairies weren't doing their job.

Once Seth reached the bottom of the stairs, all of his guardians approached him, perturbed looks etched on their faces.

"Hey, excuse me!" exclaimed Seth. "I'm only down here because my newly-appointed _bodyguards_ decided to take the night off!"

"We have a serious problem regarding the fairies," said Grandpa.

"But, I didn't do anything!" cried Seth. "I was in my room all night!"

"We didn't say that this was your fault," said Grandma. "However, you or may not be connected to what's just occurred."

Grandpa led Seth through the house, towards the back door in the kitchen. "The fairies we assigned to keep watch on you, well, they passed out during their shift.

"Passed out?" asked Seth. "How?"

"Wish we knew," said Grandpa, as he opened the back door to the patio, and led Seth out into the garden, where everyone else had gathered around a table. As Seth approached the table, he saw four fairies lying atop it, all of them unconscious.

Seth was in terror. "What happened?" he asked. "Are they... dead?"

"They still appear to be breathing, so no," replied Bright. "They're in a stupor."

"Like when Warren was catatonic?"

"Worse," said Dale. "Warren could at least perform simplified tasks. These fairies are, for all intents and purposes... petrified."

Seth looked at everyone. "Are you guys all actually assuming I'm the one behind this?" asked Seth.

"Well, these _were_ the fairies who were assigned to watch over your door and window for the night shift," replied Clover.

"I-i-it wasn't me!" muttered Seth.

"We're not blaming this on you, necessarily," said Grandma. "But you _are _a suspect due to a lack of, evidence, sorry to say. David, you are also a suspect."

David's eyes popped wide open. "Me? Why me?"

"Zavarok may or may not still be a part of you," said Grandpa. "But even if he no longer is, there could very well be residual dark energy lingering within you, that is hampering the fairies. Since you were sleeping within the vicinity of the fairies on guard last night, it's possible that any traces of dark energy still in your body may have affected the fairies. It's too unlikely to be a mere coincidence."

"So, you're saying this whole thing could be connected to Zavarok?" asked Seth.

"We're not sure," said Grandpa. "For a demon who was allegedly removed from David and is lord-knows-where now, he seems to have left a rather heavy influence in his wake."

Seth squinted his eyes, as he mentally smacked his face. Zavarok had spoken to him last night! He was following Seth around like a lost puppy!

"Our other theory is that Hespera did more than just transform you boys into rats," said Grandma. "Nigh, she placed a secondary enchantment on you alongside the transformation."

"Seth," said Zavarok, "what are they doing?"

"Not now," whispered Seth under his breath.

"Are they trying to eliminate me?" asked Zavarok.

"Anyway, we think that you boys and Raxtus should undergo a little extensive testing," said Grandpa. "Just to make sure you aren't i_nfected_ with any negative energies that could pose as a hazard to the fairies.

"Will the fairies be all right?" asked Kendra.

"We hope so," replied Bright. "We'll send them back to the Fairy Kingdom where they can recover."

"So, what's with all this testing?" asked David.

"It's nothing serious," replied Grandma. "It's more of an inspection than anything. "It'll take place after you boys finish breakfast."

Most of the group, with the exception of Bright and Clover, made their way back to the house, and entered the kitchen. Kendra looked the most distraught out of everyone, which was no surprise, given that she had strong ties to the fairies.

"I need to use the bathroom," said Seth, "I know the fairies aren't available to hold my hand this time, but..."

"Just go," said Grandma. "But don't take too long. You need to eat breakfast so that we can start with the testing."

Seth knew exactly what the problem was. He didn't need any silly _testing_. Of course, the real hazard it posed was that Zavarok could unintentionally be detected in the process, which would could spell the end of him. But his mere presence was already weakening innocent fairies, who were only doing their job.

Seth entered the ground floor bathroom, and made his way over to the far wall. "Zavarok," he whispered, "I'm safe in here. Talk to me."

"Seth," said Zavarok. "What's all this _testing_ about?"

Seth sighed. "In case you haven't realized yet, your very presence is weakening the local fairies! So they're trying to figure out what's going on."

"And it's possible they'll find me?"

"Well, they're only going to check me, Lance, David and Raxtus. As long as you're not nearby, they probably won't sense you. But, if you can't truly leave me, all the fairies here will be in danger. On top of that, they'll probably figure out where you're lurking sooner or later, and eliminate you!"

"Look, I didn't mean to inflict any harm on those fairies!" exclaimed Zavarok.

"Seriously?" asked Seth. "I wasn't awake to keep an eye on you last night. Anything could've happened."

"It's because I'm a demon. Just being near me weakens creatures of light."

Seth placed his arm down upon the counter. "Look, if just lingering around here makes you a liability to the fairies, maybe we should just tell them you're here! It's going to lead to trouble."

"But, what if the plan backfires?" asked Zavarok. "They're not going to believe that I'm a demon with a heart."

"And I can't just leave this place," said Seth. "Besides, it's my home. Look, even if I _could_ get the fairies to help me on this, what good would it do? Their magic might inadvertently harm you."

"Seth," said Mrs. Sorenson from behind the door, "are you in there?"

"I'm almost done!" exclaimed Seth.

"Well come out and eat your breakfast. The others want to start this whole thing as soon as possible."

"Coming," said Seth, as he then turned his head away from the door, to where he envisioned Zavarok was. "Look, I've gotta go through with this stupid testing, if only to buy us some time. Until that's over, stay as far from me, and any fairies, as possible. Try the dungeon, you'll fit right in with the monsters who're jailed down there."

"Okay," said Zavarok. "While you're doing that, I'll try to think of a solution to this myself."

Seth then flushed the toilet, if only to show the others that he had actually used the bathroom, and made his way into the kitchen, where he sat down at the table, where everyone else was already partway through their scrambled eggs.

"Eat up," said Grandma, as Seth picked up his utensils. "What's happened to the fairies is no laughing matter."

"It wasn't my fault," said Seth, his mouth half-full of eggs and ketchup.

"Look, we want to believe you, Seth," said Mrs. Sorenson, "but after the little _expedition_ you led yesterday, we don't know what to believe."

After everyone finished eating their breakfast, the group made their way back out into the backyard. As he passed over the threshold, Seth tried to sense where Zavarok was. Although he had no way of really knowing, he hoped that Zavarok really was hiding out in the dungeon. There had to be other dark creatures in confinement down there, right?

Just as everyone gathered around the table where Bright and Clover had been waiting with the fallen fairies, a female, humanoid figure, came flying into view from across the yard.

"She's here!" exclaimed Bright, pointing up at the approaching figure. Soon enough, everyone was able to make out whom she was. It was Brillia, Bright and Bracken's eldest sister.

The golden-haired fairy descended down before the small crowd that had gathered. Although she was happy to see everyone, her smile quickly drooped to a frown when she spotted the unconscious fairies laying on the table.

"How did this happen?" asked Brillia, looking down at the fairies.

"We're... not sure," said Grandpa. "We need to do more investigating."

"And you suspect that it's a dark essence that causing this, correct?"

"There's a good probability," answered Grandpa.

"Well, I'm not here to identify the source of the problem," said Brillia. "I've got these fairies to attend to. If you require any assistance in seeking out the source, we could always send a specialist to help you in these affairs."

"I think we'll be okay for now," said Grandma.

"Understood," said Brillia. "I only wish we could meet under better circumstances."

Brillia then extended her hands towards the fairies, and encased them all in a golden glow. "I'll do what I can to save these four. They should be all right in the end. Goodbye for now."

Brillia then flew off across the yard, with the four smaller fairies floating alongside her. While it was likely that Brillia would be able to save them, it was by no means a long-term solution to Seth and Zavarok's problem. What could they do?


	13. Darklight

**Chapter 13 – Darklight**

Seth stared around at everyone who was surrounding him. They were all eager to get started with their so-called _testing. _Seth knew exactly what the problem was, but didn't want to go about explaining it, lest they sniff out Zavarok and go about destroying him. There had to be a better way, right? Maybe they would understand? Unfortunately, coming clean would be the only way for Seth to find out, and if he didn't like the answer, too bad.

"All right then, boys," said Bright, please follow Clover and myself."

Bright and Clover walked over to the center of the yard, prompting Seth, Lance and David to follow them. Lance and David appeared to be relatively calm, as far as Seth could tell. However, they knew nothing of Zavarok's lingering around like Seth did.

"Raxtus," shouted Clover, facing another direction. "Please come here!"

Raxtus responded not by speaking, but by simply walking over from the small cave where his family was staying in for the duration of their visit. He seemed to be in better spirits than he had the previous night.

"It's very simple," said Bright. "Who wants to go first?"

"Me," said Raxtus. "After what I went through yesterday, I feel kinda disoriented."

"Very well," said Bright. "Please stand directly still while we inspect you. Don't worry, it won't hurt."

Bright stepped several feet before Raxtus, while Clover stood behind him. "Ready, Clover?"

"Ready."

Bright held out her hands, and a rainbow spouted out from her palms. It arced itself right over Raxtus' head, and down into Clover's cupped hands.

"A rainbow?" asked David. "What is the point of this?"

"We're going to pass our rainbow through Raxtus," said Clover. "It'll detect where Raxtus has any traces of unwanted darkness within him."

The rainbow's arc lowered down into Raxtus' body, passing through him like a ghost. It stayed in the center of the his body for several seconds, then disappeared.

"He's clean," said Clover.

"That's it?" asked Raxtus, looking somewhat dumbfounded.

"How can you tell?" asked Lance.

"Simple," said Bright. "My rainbow channelled pure fairy essence through to Clover. Had Raxtus had some negative force lurking within him, Clover's half of the rainbow wouldn't have come out properly."

"Who's next?" asked Clover.

"Hold on!" exclaimed Seth. "I'm a shadow charmer! Of course you're gonna detect darkness within me! It can't be helped! You know that. Aww, this isn't fair!"

"I'll go next," said Lance, moving over to where Raxtus had stood previously. "This is safe, right?"

"Even to a creature of darkness," said Bright assuredly, as she conjured up a rainbow up over Lance and down towards Clover. The rainbow then lowered downwards, until it passed through Lance's head and through his midsection.

"How does it feel, anyway?" asked Seth.

"I can't feel a thing," said Lance, admiring the rainbow that was poking itself through his stomach.

"No problems with Lance," said Clover, pointing out that her side of the rainbow was still natural.

"Who wants to go next?" asked Bright, as she dispelled the rainbow from her hands, causing it to vanish entirely.

"I guess I..." began David.

"Let's just get this over with," interrupted Seth. "We all know it's me. I'll go."

Seth stepped up to where Lance and Raxtus had both stood, then crossed his arms. "Will just being a shadow charmer give the rainbow a bad signal?"

"The rainbow's intended to seek out a hidden aura of darkness, which is what we believe caused the other fairies to grow weak," replied Bright. "As a shadow charmer, you don't normally give off a dark aura on your own."

"Okay," said Seth nervously. "Do that rainbow thing then."

Bright nodded and arced another rainbow over to Clover. The rainbow then lowered itself into and through Seth's body. The sensations of having a rainbow pass through was completely unnoticeable and painless. To Seth, the rainbow felt no different than standing in a spotlight. The only difference, was that it was actually passing through his body and out the other side, which seemed rather bizarre. Seth turned his head back to try and get a glimpse at the backside of the rainbow.

"Seth's fine too," said Clover, signalling for Bright to to cease the flow of her rainbow. Seth felt relieved. Was the fairies' magic even working properly? Or was there an even more deceitful, undetectable form of dark magic lurking within?

"That just leaves you, David," said Bright.

David took in a deep breath. "It figures. But I shouldn't have any darkness within me. When I freed Hespera, I was under the impression that Zavarok would have to be properly removed from my body in order for the witch's magic to work right."

"Better safe than sorry," said Bright. "Besides, it may not even be anybody's fault. However, we're not going to learn anything by not searching for clues."

Bright then proceeded to create a fourth rainbow, which she arced over David to Clover. The rainbow the lowered itself down into David's body, passing through him as it did to the other three. A moment later, the group all noticed something awry. The back half of the rainbow, the half that was flowing away from David and into Clover, was completely black.

Clover shrieked in horror, then backed away, allowing the dark rainbow to flow down into the ground. "Bright! Cut the rainbow!"

Bright nodded, and the rainbow immediately disappeared. However, where it had hit the ground, the grass and soil appeared to be all darkened and destroyed, leaving nothing but what resembled burn marks.

"What happened?" asked Grandma, looking down at the destroyed indentation.

"There's some dark essence within David," said Clover. "The rainbow is what flushed it out."

"You mean Zavarok might still be in me?" asked David fearfully. "But... how?"

"We don't know if that's the case," said Bright. "It my just be a residual effect of hosting a demon in your body. Or something else entirely. We aren't too sure, beyond the fact that it exists."

"What's gonna happen to me?" asked David.

"There's a very high likelihood that you're the reason the fairies have grown weak," said Bright. "Even if it was inadvertent."

Seth thought to himself. He knew that Zavarok was still floating about. But why did the rainbow detect darkness within David if the demon had been released from him? Did Zavarok even stay in the dungeon as Seth requested? Something was up.

"I think we need to send David to the Fairy Kingdom to cleanse him from that darkness."

"The _Fairy Kingdom_?" asked Grandpa. "You want to bring someone obviously contaminated with darkness into _your realm_?"

Seth squirmed, not knowing how to go about explaining Zavarok to the others. "That sounds a bit extreme. Can't you fairies just perform your little Care Bear stare on David here and now?"

"It's not safe to attempt it here," said Bright. "That dark essence that trickled out of David through our rainbow... that could only be the tip of the iceberg. And if this is Zavarok we're talking about, it could cause some severe damage if we try to flush it all out without taking the right precautions."

"Whereas back in the Fairy Kingdom, we can designate a special area for this very purpose, and if anything goes wrong, we'll have our most powerful fairies on standby."

"Is this... safe?" asked Kendra. "Bringing a contaminated soul like David's into the Fairy Kingdom? What it you can't contain it?"

"It's worth the risk," said Bright. "If us two fairy angels can withstand him, a group of us shouldn't have any problem."

Although he kept his feelings to himself, Seth was outraged. What was going on with Zavarok? Not only had he claimed that he was unable to stray from Seth, but now they were finding his residual essence within David! What was going on?"

"How's this whole procedure going to happen?" asked David.

"We're going to schedule an appointment for you right away," said Clover. "Shouldn't take long. We'll be back shortly."

Everyone watched as Bright and Clover flew up into the air and off in the direction of the naiad's pond.

"Now what?" asked Kendra.

"Normally, I'd suggest we'd simply wait," answered Grandpa. "However, we still have the matter of Hespera to deal with as well. While we wait for the fairies to return, I propose that we all head back inside and discuss the situation further."

The group all headed back into the house, and made their way into the living room, where everyone discovered a seat.

"Not you, Seth," said Grandpa, pointing at his grandson who had seated himself. "You're not off the hook for what you did yesterday! Back to your room!"

"But, I want to help!"

"If you hadn't helped out in the first place, we wouldn't be in this mess, now would we?" asked Grandpa. "The fairies would've reacted to David soon enough, and we would've found out the truth some way! And we wouldn't have Hespera to deal with, either!"

"That tears it," said Mr. Sorenson. "Seth, go to your room. Now!"

"Look... I..."

"NOW!"

"Fine!" shouted Seth, as he ran out of the living room and bolted up the stairs. He dashed into his bedroom and slammed the door, before plopping himself onto his bed and covering his head with his hands.

"Zavarok!" cried Seth. "Why? Why did you do this to me?"

"Seth?" asked Zavarok, whose voice Seth could sense rising up through the floor. "Did you want to talk?"

"Zavarok, what's going on?"

"I was in the dungeon the whole time."

"No, I mean, with David. The fairies found your essence within him. Are you still with him or not?"

"Of course not. It's you who I'm seemingly tethered to."

"This is all your fault!" exclaimed Seth. "Why'd you have to drag us humans into this! Look, I'm sorry that you and Navarog hate each other! And I'm sorry that he killed you! But did you really have to possess an innocent boy and thrust your problem on us Knights of the Dawn? Was it really worth it?"

"I'm sorry," said Zavarok unenthusiastically. "It's not my fault. It wasn't _my_ decision to be born a demon dragon. Think I've had a fun life? Shunned from by own kin just because I didn't fit in with them. I was freak. I despised their malevolent ideals. And the beings I actually _wanted_ to befriend, they saw me as a terrifying demonic dragon. I was an outcast. A freak. And after my own brother _killed me_ in my human form, I had no choice but to remain in limbo alone, or possess a body and seek assistance. Sorry about David, but it's not like I had any friends back when I was alive."

"Zavarok," said Seth. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm in a lot of trouble because of all of this. I... wanted to help you, but I got carried away, because I didn't think that the others would understand."

"I forgive you," said Zavarok. "I know that I'm at the root of the problem, but believe me, it wasn't on purpose. I'm just in a very difficult situation."

Seth took in a deep breath. "Listen, Zavarok. "I know you're against the whole idea, but I really feel that I should tell everyone about you."

"But, what if they end up destroying me?"

"I've done everything I can to help you," said Seth. "It might be best to just admit defeat. I know you may suffer, but as it stands right now, your existence poses a hazard to the fairies here. And since you can't leave my presence, the only other option would be to leave Fablehaven indefinitely."

"I understand. Perhaps maybe, if you were to leave Fablehaven again, we could find a solution?"

"We already tried that," noted Seth. "And look where that led us. Look, I... I... can't keep you a secret forever and ever. Hiding the truth like this is only going to make things worse and worse. Those fairies who were weakened last night... they were fine. But this could very well happen again."

"I don't see what other choice we have," said Zavarok. "It's all right. Tell the others about me. I've caused enough trouble already."

"You do realize they may eradicate you," said Seth. "That is what happens to dead demons, right?"

"Not exactly," said Zavarok. "Demons cannot truly die. It is why Navarog and I still exist to this day."

"Hold on," said Seth. "I thought that was because it was merely your human forms that were destroyed. Your spirits still exist, given that we're having this conversation right now. And you know that Navarog is only a dragon again due to the effects of the Omega Star."

"Yes, but to even vanquish our true spirits would not end our existence fully. For you see, should Navarog or I have been slain in our true dragon forms, our spirits would not have lingered on in this world like they did. They would've instead found their way into the Netherworld.

"The Netherworld?" asked Seth. "You mean, like... Hell?"

"Not the kind of place you're probably thinking of," said Zavarok. "The Netherworld is a realm reserved for deceased monsters. No humans, of course."

"That doesn't sound so bad," said Seth. "I mean, you are a demon dragon. And you are dead. Sort of. All things considered, it doesn't seem so bad."

"It _is_ so bad," exclaimed Zavarok. "Despite my qualities, I'm not a bad soul. I've told you this before."

"True," said Seth."I know that the Singing Sisters deemed you a good being."

"My point exactly," said Zavarok. "And good being or not, I'm still a demon. And I'd be spending the rest of eternity surrounded by the souls of monsters that really _are_ evil. Does that sound fair?"

"I know," said Seth. "But neither do any of the other options which involve me not telling the others about you."

Zavarok sighed. "I guess we have no choice. Tell them. Maybe I can fake my identity in the netherworld. Few beings even know I exist, even when I was alive, and as long as Navarog is a prisoner in the knapsack for eternity, it's not like he'll show up in the Netherworld any time soon."

"Okay," said Seth. "I'll explain all this to them as best I can. Maybe we'll even get lucky, and they'll find a solution which doesn't wind up sending you to the Netherworld."

"I don't see what other choice I have," said Zavarok. "Being born a demonic dragon with a heart, I'm used to not belonging anywhere."

"Zavarok," said Seth. "I need to know. If you're a demon, then just how can you be, well... _good_?"

Zavarok sighed. "It's a mystery, I suppose. Demons are naturally malevolent beings. I just... never possessed that same evil desire that other demons do. It disgusts me."

"Maybe it's some sort of mental anomaly you have," said Seth. "Most humans are relatively good, but some of them are undoubtedly... evil. They're in the minority, though. But maybe, it's possible for demons to be good?"

"I feel that way," said Zavarok, "but I'm the only one I'm aware of."

"True," said Seth. "But... the demon population is drastically lower than that of humans, right? Given the rarity of demons, it's no wonder that another good demon has yet to be discovered."

"You have a point," said Zavarok. "Us demons are an endangered species compared to you humans. Not that I have a problem with that. I never liked those other demons anyway. If the entire demon race died out completely, I wouldn't be too upset. Even if I had to go with them."

"But why?" asked Seth.

"Demons may be rare, but they're also, for the most part, despicable. "I can't stand being a demon, knowing that all others of my kind are horrendous. And as long as I'm a demon, I'll always cause trouble for those who don't deserve it, whether I want to or not. Like the fairies."

"Is there any way to remove your demonic traits? Then you'd just be a normal dragon, right?"

"Wrong. Attempting to alter a demon's essence is impossible. I'd be eradicated before being _cured_."

"Right," said Seth. "We considered wishing for Navarog to be good before banishing him, but the Omega Star was unable to grant that wish, since it would've destroyed his demonic soul. It's because the Omega Star has a fail-safe that prevents it from harming anyone with its power. Even a demon. It's also why Tritanoss was banished in the first place."

"So they've banished demons with the Omega Star, since they can't be destroyed," noted Zavarok. "I never realized just how severe my demon qualities really are. But, I must ask, why haven't the fairies used the Omega Star to banish all known demons?"

"My only guess is that they don't use the Omega Star to fulfil their every whim, except as a last resort. Since no demons are actively threatening their kind, there hasn't been any need to retaliate."

"But, I just caused some of the fairies here to pass out. You'd think the fairies would get back at me if they have the Omega Star to do so with."

"I'm not sure why they've yet to do anything," said Seth. "Maybe the thought never crossed their minds?

"And what about Zavarok? Surely they could use the Omega Star to at least banish her."

"That is strange," said Seth. "I'll have to ask what's going on with the fairies to try and learn something about all this. But, at the same time, I don't want to give them any ideas that would result in you being banished somewhere for the rest of eternity."


	14. Fair Weather Fairies

**Chapter 14: Fair-Weather Fairies**

"I'm going to try and explain this whole thing to the others," said Seth, as he got up from his bed and made his way to the door of his bedroom.

"I hope they're willing to help," said Zavarok. "But, if they'd rather banish me or do whatever it is they're going to do, I guess I can't blame them."

Seth rested his hand on the doorknob. "You know, you're not much different than me."

"How so?" asked Zavarok. "You're a human-being with traits of darkness. I'm a demonic dragon spirit with traits of good."

"Well..." said Seth, "we're both good beings, only we've been subjugated based on the fact that we possess dark qualities. I know we're from different worlds, but in a way, don't you think we're sorta on the same page?"

"You may be right," said Zavarok. "If only you got to call the shots around here."

"I'd show the others," said Seth. "Kendra would probably think I'd turn Fablehaven into an amusement park if I were in charge."

Seth opened the door and made his way downstairs to the living room, where the others were still gathered.

"Oh, Seth," said Grandpa. "Have you cooled down at all?"

"Um, a little. What's going on?"

"We're discussing how to track down Hespera," said Warren. "If we can gather enough information, it might be possible to figure out where she is."

"But first, the fairies are going to try and remove the darkness that's within David," said Grandma.

Seth flinched. What if part of Zavarok was still within David? "Uhh, when's that gonna happen?"

"How about... now?" asked Bright, who was standing at the entrance to the living room alongside Clover.

"Brillia restored the other fairies back to normal," said Clover. "David, she's ready to see you as well if you'll come with us."

"Okay," said David nervously.

Seth's jaw dropped. "You mean, you're just going to take David into Fairy Kingdom and be done with him?"

"Well, yes," replied Bright. "That's kind of the procedure."

"Kendra, you're welcome to accompany us," said Clover. "Maybe keep David some company, so that he has another human around."

Seth didn't know what to do. "Listen, we've got a problem. See, it's about Zavarok..."

"Seth," said Grandpa. "Now's not the time. Kendra and David must travel to the Fairy Kingdom immediately.

"But Zavarok is still here! Part of him is within David!"

"What?" exclaimed David.

"Seth, please," said Grandma.

"No, I'm serious! Zavarok is here, and I can talk to him, but he's partially still connected to David."

"Seth, enough!" cried Grandma.

"But you don't understand!"

Bright blew into her fingers to create a loud whistle, telling everyone else to quit arguing. "Seth, please let us do our job. I've got nothing against, personally, but I know that you're on thin ice around here. So, do us a favor and just... butt out."

"It's okay," said Zavarok. "If I get destroyed in the process, so be it. I'm doomed anyway."

Seth turned his head down and made his way over to the stairs. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help."

"But what if Zavarok really is around here?" asked Kendra.

"Let's let the fairies deal with David first," said Warren. "Then they can work at sniffing out Zavarok."

As Seth went back to his bedroom, the rest of the group made their way outside.

"Where's the entrance to this Fairy Kingdom?" asked David, looking around the property.

"Down that way," said Bright, pointing off to a path in one direction.

"The Fairy Kingdom was incredible!" said Lance. "You're lucky that you get to go!"

"You do realize that this trip is not a reward," said Clover. "We're only taking David here because we've deemed him to be hazardous to fairies."

"Look, I'm sorry," said David. "I didn't arrange any of this."

"It's not your fault," said Grandpa. "Assuming what you say really is true. If anyone's to blame, it's Zavarok."

"Seth may have helped," said Kendra. "But if what you guys have said about Zavarok is true, I can't say I blame him."

"Yes, but he still violated many rules and expectations yesterday," said Grandpa. "There's no denying that."

Soon, they reached the naiad's pond, where the Fairy Queen's shrine stood on the island in the center.

"How's David supposed to get across?" asked Kendra, staring at the rainbow bridge that crossed over the water, connecting the island to the mainland. Only people deemed worthy can walk across the bridge, and I don't see how David can qualify due to his recent history with Zavarok."

"Well, only the Fairy Queen should tamper with the rainbow," said Bright. "We'll fly David across ourselves.

Bright and Clover each stood next to David, and instructed him to place an arm around each of their shoulders. They then fluttered into the air, and proceeded to fly David over the water.

Kendra walked across the rainbow, and met up with the other three once she reached the island.

"Now what" asked David.

"You'll see," said Bright, as she held out a hand towards the statue, palm facing forward. Several seconds passed, but nothing happened.

"Bright, what's wrong?" asked Kendra.

"I can't get the portal to open," said Bright, holding out her other hand. Even with both of her hands out, she couldn't get her magic to work.

"Let me try," said Clover, holding out her hands at the statue. Again, there was no result.

"What's going on?" asked Kendra. "Why can't you open the portal?"

"I don't know!" exclaimed Bright, still trying to get the portal open herself. "I can't even work my magic!"

"Me too!" muttered Clover. "Something's definitely up."

"But we j_ust_ travelled through the portal less than half an hour ago!" exclaimed Bright. "And there were no problems then."

Bright and Clover turned to face David. I haven't done anything!" exclaimed David, crossing his arms in front of himself. "Honest!"

"Well, somebody's done _something_," said Bright.

"Is there a way that maybe I could open the portal?" asked Kendra.

"Not unless you're skilled in casting enchantment spells," replied Clover.

"So, what happens now?" asked Kendra. "If we can't get into the Fairy Kingdom..."

"I don't know," said Bright. "Magic is the only way to enter, and we're fresh out."

"Look, it's really not my fault!" cried David. "And I can't imagine Zavarok doing anything like this. Especially after the way he treated me."

"It could be a lingering effect of Hespera's doing," said Kendra.

"Whatever it is," said Bright, "let's go back and try and figure out a solution."

David placed his arms around Bright and Clover's shoulders again, and they proceeded to fly him back across the water to the mainland. Meanwhile, Kendra began to walk across the rainbow again. However, once she was halfway across the bridge, the next step she took, caused her leg to pass through the rainbow. She suddenly lost balance with her other foot, then fell through the rainbow entirely, splashing into the water of the naiad's pond.

"Kendra!" screamed everybody who was watching, as Kendra surfaced, spitting water out of her mouth. The shock of plunging into the water unexpectedly was nothing compared to what Kendra really had to worry about.

Kendra looked around the pond in horror, dreading any naiads who would inevitably be coming after her. She knew she stood no chance against them. She was as good as dead.

"What do we do?" asked Warren to the others, fear showing in his voice.

After waiting around for several seconds, nothing happened. "Is this a joke?" Kendra asked herself.

"What's everyone so worried about?" asked David.

"The naiads who live in this pond will stop at nothing to drown anyone who dares enter their water," replied Grandpa. "But, it looks like the fish aren't biting today."

"This has to be a trick," said Kendra, as she proceeded to swim to the shore, still worried that the naiads might sneak up on her at any moment and attempt to pull her under. Once she reached the shore, Warren helped Kendra get back on her feet.

"Something's very wrong," said Warren sternly. "First the fairies, then the rainbow, now the naiads."

"I'm not too upset over that last one," said Kendra, wringing some water out of her hair. "I would have died otherwise."

"That may be the only good to come of this," said Grandpa. "Hmm. Since the Fairy Kingdom is inaccessible at this point, we must rethink our plans. I suggest we return to the house."

As they started walking, Grandma pulled off her sweatshirt and presented it to Kendra, who was still sopping wet. "Here, dearie. It may not be a towel, but wipe yourself off, why don't you?"

"Thanks," said Kendra, accepting her grandmother's sweatshirt. She proceeded to pat herself dry with it.

"If my magic were working, I could've just dried you the easy way," said Bright.

"If your magic were working, I bet that rainbow wouldn't have vanished," noted Clover.

"How is all of this happening?" asked Lance.

"It's because of Zavarok," said Grandpa. "He's still lingering around here somewhere. Possibly with Seth or David."

"But Zavarok is, or should I say was, only a spirit who resided within me," said David.

"That may be the case," said Grandpa. "But Zavarok is a demonic dragon spirit. Regardless of how he may have treated you, he was the twin brother of Navarog. Therefore, he likely possesses great power. Even his mere presence on this preserve would be enough to greatly hinder the fairy magic found here."

"Why is that, anyway?" asked Lance.

"Fairies, and other beings of light, thrive on light energy," replied Bright. "Being immortal, it's the source of our power. Demons, naturally, rely on dark energy."

"Question," said David. "Where does light and dark energy come from, anyway?"

"Light energy," said Bright, "or at least the magical kind we're talking about, comes from the Fairy Realm. Likewise, dark energy comes from the Demon Realm. It finds it way into this world through dimensional gates, such as the fairy shrine here at Fablehaven. Even if the portal itself isn't open, light or dark energy is capable of passing through. However, light and dark energy becomes sparse once you get far enough away from its point of entry. Because of this, most beings of light who reside in this world cannot go far from their home without taking the proper precautions. Of course, Fairy Angels like Clover and I can store excess light energy within our bodies, not unlike how camels can store water."

"Except we don't have any silly humps," noted Clover.

"So how does Zavarok come into play?" asked Lance. "You and Clover should have lots of light energy within you, right?"

"Ideally, yes," said Grandma. "But Zavarok's presence has done something to the beings of light on this preserve.

"But why?" asked David. "I had Zavarok within me for months, and I can be quite honest, there was no real negativity until all this happened."

"That's most likely due to because you had limited exposure to beings of light within that time," said Grandpa. "Also, Zavarok was still within you, and was incapable of spreading his influence all on his own."

"I can understand that they're opposites, but why do light and dark energy affect each other so much?" asked Lance.

"Think of a fairy as something that's solar-powered," said Warren. "And think of the sun as the Fairy Realm. It shines. The fairy has light. Everyone's happy. But one day, there's an eclipse. Think of that as dark energy. It blocks out the sun. Therefore, the poor fairy can't receive the light energy she needs while it's blocking the sun."

"That doesn't seem fair," said David. "Is dark energy just strong like that?"

"Not necessarily. It's just that the moon is a lot bigger than a fairy. And so is Zavarok, but not quite so much. However, think of a dark creature as something like a bat. Bats don't like bright light. Likewise to the bat, the sun is a hazard. Only in our situation, Zavarok is still a powerful entity, not a simple bat As such, he can thrive better in a light environment than most other creatures."

A few minutes later, the group arrived back at the house. Kendra had mostly dried herself off, although her clothes were still quite damp and heavy. As they made their way into the foyer, Seth reluctantly greeted them from the living room, sounding a little uneasy.

Kendra went up to the attic, and changed into some fresh clothes, before making her way back into the living room.

"They told me what happened at the pond," said Seth, placing his arm around Kendra. "That must've been freaky."

"I don't know what's worse," said Kendra. "Living amongst magical creatures, or living without them. Those naiads..."

"So, what you're trying to say is that you guys can't get into the Fairy Kingdom?" asked Seth.

"Exactly," said Clover. "Zavarok's presence is to blame."

"I'm sorry," said Seth. "But... you see.. Zavarok is here. I can communicate with him."

Everyone was stunned. "I figured as much that he had to be somewhere," said Warren, "but you're talking to him as well?"

"Yes. He said that he can't leave my presence, so that as long as I'm here, I'm inadvertently a danger to the creatures of light that are on the preserve."

"Seth," said Zavarok. "I don't think it's you."

"Zavarok's talking to me," said Seth, as he continued to listen to the demon. "He said that when you guys travelled to the Fairy Shrine, he was compelled into following you and leaving me here."

Grandma gasped. "Then it must be David he's still tied to!"

"I don't get it," said David. "Hespera removed Zavarok from me, didn't she? I mean, I undid the knot and everything. I fulfilled my end of the deal, so why didn't she?"

"Because witches aren't the nicest of people," said Grandpa. "She may have done her job, but that by no means implies that she did it well. Zavarok is apparently still tied to you somehow."

"So, if we keep David away from Fablehaven, Zavarok will have to leave too, right?" asked Kendra.

"The source of it will leave, yes," replied Grandpa. "But unless we cleanse it properly, it's bound to linger."

"So, what's keeping you from cleansing it?" asked Seth.

"Us fairies have spent quite of bit of time being exposed to Zavarok during his stay here," said Clover. "His dark energy has nullified our power. We'd need external help in restoring it."

"What kind of external help?" asked Kendra.

"Other fairies," answered Bright. "Ones that haven't been afflicted by Zavarok."

"And we can't get to the Fairy Kingdom so easily, since we can't use the fairy shrine here at Fablehaven."

"Wait a moment," said Kendra. "What about the Translocator?"

"It's been locked up again, guarded by an even stronger monster, according to Agad," said Grandpa. "And it's been deactivated. How're you planning to use it if Zavarok's hindered all that light magic, probably including yours too?"

"We'd need the help of fairies who are not from Fablehaven," said Tanu.

"Bracken!" exclaimed Bright. "He and a few other fairies are finishing up the shrine at Wyrmroost. With any luck, they'd be able to help us!"

"And restore that secondary set of magical artifacts, even!" stated Kendra delightfully.

"What second set of artifacts?" asked Seth.

Grandpa told Seth about how Agad was in possession of secondary set of magical artifacts, each with the same abilities as the primary set.

"So, even if Bracken and the others are unable to help us, they could at least grant us access through to the Fairy Kingdom?" asked Kendra.

"I don't have any doubts," replied Grandpa. "And surely the fairies there could deal with Zavarok properly.

"And hopefully, the fairies will come to their senses and find a solution into dealing with this whole problem," said Grandma. "They could use the Omega Star to set everything right."

"But what about me?" asked David. "As long as I'm still tied to Zavarok, those others won't want to come anywhere near me."

The was a short pause, until Seth's eyes suddenly lit up. "I know what to do about that!"

"Really?" asked David. "What?"

"See this bracelet?" asked Seth, pointing to the silver bracelet that he always wore upon his right wrist. "I'm a shadow charmer, but this bracelet suppresses the darkness that's within me."

"That's right!" exclaimed Kendra. "The Fairy Queen asked me to give it to you back when we were dealing with Oblivion."

"Hold on," said Warren. "There's a difference between a shadow charmer and a bona fide demon. Are you sure that bracelet will work on David?"

"It's worth a try," said Seth. "And at this point, I don't see what we stand to lose."

Seth removed the bracelet from his wrist and presented it to David, who in turn slipped it onto his own wrist.

"Sure hope this works," said David.

"It won't fix anything," said Seth. "But at the very least, it might keep things from getting any worse."

"Well then," said Grandpa. "Our first order of business is to meet up with Bracken and see if he'll be able to help us. Now that we know more about our situation, I think that a solution to our problem is within our reach."

"But what about Hespera?" asked Seth. "She did her business, and took off."

"One thing at a time," said Grandpa. "If we can settle everything with the fairies, we won't have to worry about her anymore."


	15. On the Run

**Chapter 15 – On the Run**

It had been several long minutes after the conversation, and almost the entire group was waiting patiently in the living room. Grandpa had gone into his study in private to discuss the situation with his contacts over the phone, and they were expecting him to hopefully devise a rough plan of some sort.

After a rather drawn-out waiting period, that came close to a quarter of an hour, Grandpa returned from his study. His face blank, Grandpa made his way over into his easy chair, and sat down.

"All right," he said. "I've spoken to both Agad and Bracken about everything. "Agad is on his way over here with the artifacts right now, but I don't expect him to arrive until either later tonight or even tomorrow."

"Why's it going to take him so long?" asked Seth.

"Well, as you know, Living Mirage is in Turkey. It's a little more than a stone's throw away from here, so getting from there to Fablehaven takes time."

"But he's a wizard with the artifacts," said Seth. "Couldn't he just use the Translocator?"

"None of these auxiliary instruments have been charged yet," said Grandpa. "And while Agad is a wizard, he does not possess the ability to activate them. And the magical creatures at Living Mirage either can't or won't help him. Besides, there aren't any fairies currently residing at Living Mirage, since its shrine hasn't yet been restored."

"So how long's it going to take him to get here?" asked Seth.

"Hours," replied Grandpa. "You know how long airline flights can be."

"Airline?" asked Seth. "Can't he ride over here on one of the creatures at Living Mirage?"

"There are many creatures at Living Mirage who could give Agad a ride," answered Grandma. "Unfortunately, none of them are friendly enough to cooperate."

"Like those harpies," scoffed Warren.

"Okay," said Kendra, "so Agad's on his way. "What about Bracken?"

"When I spoke to Bracken, I at first suggested that he come here. But he assured me that his work is very important, and that he cannot let his crew fall behind schedule, so he'd prefer if we went to him."

"Who's going?" asked Warren.

"You, of course. And Kendra. Lance. David, because he's tied to Zavarok and needs to be treated. And... Seth. But only because he's the _only_ one here who can communicate with Zavarok."

"What about us?" asked Bright.

Grandpa sighed. "I would rather you two stay here. Not only is your magic is failing, but Fablehaven is where you Fairy Angels belong. You need Fablehaven, and Fablehaven needs you."

"You have a point," said Clover. "But Bracken's currently closer to us than Agad, and the sooner we can get helped, the better."

"That may the case," said Grandpa. "But I'd rather you two stay away from David and Zavarok during all this."

Bright took in a deep breath. "You have a point. As caretaker of this preserve, your word is final."

Soon, everyone who was going on the expedition packed their gear together, and met up on the back porch of the house.

"So, where exactly is this _Wyrmroost_ place?" asked David. "I've only ever heard of it."

"It's one of the seven dragon sanctuaries, right?" asked Lance.

"Correct," replied Warren. "Wyrmroost is located in Alberta. It's off limits to humans, but us Knights of the Dawn had to travel there last year to retrieve the key to the Dreamstone."

"Why's it off limits to humans?" asked David.

"Well, most of the creatures that reside there don't take very kindly to mortals. Fortunately, we'll be travelling there on Raxtus and Geminus. Since they live at Wyrmroost, getting in there won't be too difficult. They have clearance to bypass the distractor spell, and we'll be entering as their guests."

"You guys told me all about that previous trip to Wyrmroost," said Lance. "Lots of slayings and slaughterings, if I recall correctly, right? And Warren, isn't that when you got trapped in the knapsack?"

Warren shrugged. "Yeah... but things were different back then. A certain double-crosser was accompanying us, and we had to traverse the most treacherous parts of the sanctuary. This time, we're going straight to the fairy shrine."

The group made their way through the yard to the area where Raxtus and Geminus were currently waiting. While Geminus seemed indifferent to the whole situation, Raxtus looked quite perturbed. Dale was standing next to him.

"Oh, hello," said Raxtus forcefully.

"Hey... Raxtus," said Seth nervously.

"I heard all about it," said Raxtus. "You need our help to get to Wyrmroost, right?"

"You'll take us?" asked Kendra.

"I don't know," said Raxtus. "Normally, I'd love to help you guys out. But then I just think back to yesterday, and how fun that all turned out to be!"

"Look, Raxtus..." said Seth. "I'm sorry."

"Possessing me?" asked Raxtus. "Riding me around the country like I'm some kind of magic carpet? Freeing that witch? Getting me turned into a rat? How can you make up for all of that?"

"I'm sorry!" exclaimed Seth. "It was all very stupid of me! I was just trying to help David!"

"Raxtus has a point," said Grandpa. "Yes, Seth was very foolish. But this is not the time for a lecture. Raxtus, we desperately need your help. Please agree to fly the group to Wyrmroost as soon as you can."

"You want me to lead Seth right into my own home?" asked Raxtus. "After all that's happened?"

"Raxtus," said Kendra. "I know Seth can be really... stupid sometimes. But that doesn't mean..."

"I don't want to help him," said Raxtus. "I'll help the rest of you, but not Seth."

"Geminus," said Kendra, "maybe Seth could ride with you?"

"He's not coming," said Raxtus. "I won't allow it. Even if he were to grow wings."

Grandpa sighed. "We're desperate. Dale's explained the situation to you, and we need Seth to accompany the others due to his connection with Zavarok in case anything happens."

"Raxtus," said Geminus. "I know you're mad at Seth. I am too. But these people are our friends, and they need us. But I can't very well fly around with five humans at once."

"I don't want you flying around with one human, so long as that human is Seth Sorenson."

"Raxtus, please!" exclaimed Geminus.

Kendra was worried. She had never seen Raxtus get upset before.

"Have you forgotten everything I told you about last night?" asked Raxtus. "I am _furious_ at Seth! Now look, I know that before you became a dragon, you were a fairy guardian, where you devoted your life to helping humans, but come on!"

Grandpa shook his head. "I guess I'll make arrangements with Trask and Aaron. I'm sure they'll help us. Though we might as well just wait around here for Agad to show up if that's the case."

"You're right, Raxtus, said Geminus. "I am a fairy at heart. I do devote myself to helping others. You know why? Because it's the right thing to do. It's what separates me from all the other fairies who keep to themselves and flutter around all day, admiring her reflection. Your admiration is what I like about you. Well, that, as well as your courage, general attitude, beautiful body..."

Raxtus blushed. "All right, all right. I get the point."

"Then you'll help?" asked Geminus.

"Yes," said Raxtus. "But only because it's the right thing to do. I'm still not happy about Seth."

"Raxtus," said Geminus, placing her claw up his shoulder, "I know you're upset. But if you can't get over what Seth did, you're not much better than he was. Mistreating you, even if it he had good intentions, was wrong. But not getting over that, and refusing to help the Knights, isn't anything to be proud about either. Just acknowledge that Seth was foolish, and move on."

Raxtus stepped up in front of Seth. "All right," he said. "Seth Sorenson. Do you apologize for your actions yesterday?"

Seth nodded. "Absolutely. I'll never do that ever again. I promise. Not just to you, but to anyone."

"You can do it to a villain," said Warren. "If you can pull that sort of thing off again."

Raxtus extended his claw. "I forgive you. Apology accepted."

Seth placed his hand within Raxtus' extended claw, and the dragon shook it.

"But don't you ever even so much as think of doing that to me again," said Raxtus, retracting his claw.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Seth. "I learned my lesson."

"So we're really going to get to see Wyrmroost?" asked Lance.

"As little of it as possible," said Warren. "You should be thankful we've got no intention of taking the scenic route."

"Just as well," said Geminus. "As respected as Raxtus and myself are amongst the creatures of Wyrmroost, we'd become more than the laughing stock if any creatures found out that we regularly socialize with humans under our own power."

"To what extent?" questioned Raxtus. "But big deal. I don't care what others think of me. I've always been a wallflower."

"Yeah, but the last thing we need are people getting hurt," stated Geminus. "Anyway, if we make a beeline for the fairy shrine, things might not be so bad."

Before long, everyone was ready to take off for Wyrmroost. Kendra and Warren seated themselves upon Raxtus' back, while Geminus toted Seth, Lance and David.

"Are you okay with passenger arrangements, Geminus?" asked Warren.

"I guess so. Raxtus is wary about these three right now, so I'll take care of them."

"Don't worry," said Kendra. "If the rest of us are around, Seth's smart enough not to try anything stupid."

"Gee, thanks," muttered Seth.

Raxtus looked around. "I guess we're ready to take off. You'll take good care of Vanessa, right?"

"Don't worry," said Dale, holding the hatchling in his arms. "Best to keep her away from adventuring until she's a bit older."

"We'll be back as soon as we can!" said Geminus, as she and Raxtus both darted forward. Once they picked up some speed, the extended their wings and proceeded to lift off into the air. The rose higher and higher above the grounds of Fablehaven, until they were soaring up into the sky, heading in a westward direction.

The flight to Wyrmroost was both lengthy and nerve-wracking. Although Raxtus and Geminus were flying at their usual speed, the trip seemed to be taking longer than Kendra or Seth envisioned. Additionally, the current situation had everyone on their toes. Could the fairies just resolve the issue with Zavarok already? And what would become of Hespera? It was the lack of any solid answers to these questions that had everybody from Fablehaven pondering over the outcome.

It was slightly before noon when Warren ordered Raxtus and Geminus to fly down from the sky and towards the ground. They came down towards a large city, which was easy for everybody to identify as Toronto due to the presence of the CN Tower standing amongst the rest of the skyline.

The dragons came to a stop in large park, not too far from the downtown core, and their riders dismounted from their backs.

"This place is beautiful," said Kendra, admiring the vibrant, autumn colors of the deciduous trees, nestled among numerous evergreens. "Reminds me of Fablehaven."

"We're only came to High Park to get some lunch," said Warren. Raxtus, Geminus, wait here, we'll be back in a bit."

Warren led the group to a nearby cafe within the park, and everybody placed their orders for lunch. Soon they were served, and everybody their meal. When the waitress came around with the bill, Warren placed small fistful of Canadian bills and coins on the table, and directed the group out of the cafe.

"I didn't know you had Canadian money on you, Warren," said Seth. "I wouldn't have thought of bringing any."

"When you go adventuring as much as I do, you learn to be ready for anything. Besides, we're not just _passing through_ Canada, because Wyrmroost itself is _in_ Canada."

The group soon returned to where the dragons were waiting, but were surprised to see that Raxtus looked exhausted.

"What's wrong with Raxtus?" asked Kendra worriedly. "He looks feint."

Raxtus groaned in response.

"I don't know what's come over him," said Geminus. "Just after you guys left, he started acting this way."

"Well, we brought you guys some food from the cafe," said Warren, presenting a paper bag to Geminus. "Maybe if Raxtus eats, he'll feel revitalized."

"Geminus dumped the contents of the bag into her free claw, and saw about one dozen cheeseburgers, all wrapped in paper.

"It's worth a try," said Geminus, presenting half of the cheeseburgers to Raxtus. The male dragon accepted the cheeseburgers, but unwrapped and ate them at a much slower rate than Geminus.

After gulping down the last hamburger, Raxtus licked his mouth, then shook his head. "Thanks for the food. Although I'm no longer hungry, I still feel weak."

"You appear to be in excellent health," said Warren, looking the dragon over.

"Oh no," said Lance. "You don't think it's Zavarok, do you?"

"Don't blame us!" blurted Seth. "David and I didn't do anything! We've been with you this whole time."

"And I'm still wearing the bracelet," said David, pointing to the fairy jewelry on his wrist.

"This may be a residual effect from earlier," said Warren. "Raxtus is a fairy dragon, and he spent a lot of time with you boys yesterday, did he not? While he was able to resist Zavarok's dark energy due to being stronger than a typical garden fairy, it must have ultimately overwhelmed him by now."

"Well, what can we do?" asked Kendra.

"What we were doing in the first place," said Warren. "Keep venturing to Wyrmroost and hope that the fairies there will be able to help him."

"But... I don't think I can fly much further," said Raxtus wearily. "I feel too weak."

"Oh great," said David. "We're _how_ far from Wyrmroost?"

"Only three provinces away," said Warren.

"I'll never make it," said Raxtus. "Can't we just wait here for a while. This park is so nice."

"You'll only get worse if you don't get treated," said Warren.

"I think I'll get worse if I keep moving," said Raxtus. "What would you humans do if you didn't ride us for transportation?"

"Well we'd take more plane rides," said Seth.

"That's it!" said Warren. "We'll take a plane!"

"To Wyrmroost?" asked Kendra.

"We would, but I'm pretty sure that place doesn't have an airport. We'll go to Calgary. It's not too far from there. All we got to do is get to the airport, hop in the next plane to Calgary, and it won't be much further to Wyrmroost at all."

Raxtus groaned. "All right. I'll try. Sounds easier than flying across three provinces."

The group climbed back on to the dragons, and they took off, flying over more of the city. After several minutes, they could see the airport up ahead.

"All right," said Warren. "Get ready to descend."

"Clear the runway," said Raxtus, as he and Geminus began to fly down towards the airport. "I think I'm gonna crash."

"Raxtus, hang in there!" said Kendra. Please, just be careful!"

The two dragons landed upon the roof of one of the airport terminals, where their riders dismounted them once again.

"So, how are the five of us, let alone two dragons, supposed to ride on a plane?" asked David.

"Simple," said Warren. "We're not going to ride on a plane. We're going to ride _on_ a plane."

"Say what?" asked Lance.

"Forget the tickets!" said Warren. "Not all of us have our passports on us, and it'd be too hard to explain our situation to the ticket agent. Besides, we can't bring the dragons along, so they'd just be lingering outside the plane anyway."

"So, which plane do we board?" asked Lance, scouring the airport's many runways.

"I'm going to go inside the airport and find out when the next plane to Calgary is. Thankfully, we're already in one Canadian city, so finding a plane to another one shouldn't be too hard. You kids wait here with the dragons, I'll be back soon."

"Now what?" asked David," while they all watch Warren climb down to a lower part of the roof.

"We wait," said Kendra. "Like Warren said to."

"You worried we'll run off?" asked Seth.

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"Where are we going to go?" asked Seth. "We're stuck on the roof of a busy airport!"

"Those fries I had with my lunch made me thirsty," said Lance. "I want a drink!"

"You're not going anywhere until Warren gets back."

"I've got some drinks in my supply kit," said Seth, opening his bag. He reached in and handed a juice box to Lance.

"What's that?" asked Kendra, pointing to a vial inside the bag that she managed to catch a glimpse of.

Seth smacked his head. "How could I forget? I was worried that Zavarok's presence might overwhelm David even with the bracelet, so Tanu offered this potion to me. But he said to drink it only in a dire emergency, since it's the only one he had."

"Please," said Raxtus, "if it'll weaken the presence within me, may I please have it?"

"I guess," said Seth, handing the vial to Raxtus. "Let's just hope David doesn't need it too."

Raxtus gulped down the potion. "Thank you. I don't know if it'll do much, but let's hope so."

Some time later, Warren returned, holding a slip of paper. "Sorry I took so long, but there was a big line. But I got info for the next plane to Calgary, as well as the runway."

"Where is it?" asked Kendra.

Warren looked around, then pointed to a plane that was moving down a runway. "There it is."

Suddenly, the plane began to rise, and Warren looked at his watch. "Oops."

"We're not missing our ride!" said Raxtus, as he grabbed hold of Warren and Kendra. "Come on Geminus! We've got a plane to catch!"

Seth, Lance and David leapt onto Geminus' back, and the two dragons flew off towards the rising plane. Geminus flew ahead of Raxtus and landed upon the empennage of the plane.

"Come on, Raxtus!" said Geminus, as she extended her arms for Raxtus to grab hold of. He was only a few feet behind, but was still flying on his own.

"Hurry!" said Warren. "Before the plane goes too fast!"

Raxtus stretch his arms forward, and just barely locked fingers with Geminus. The female dragon pulled him forward onto the plane, just as it took off into the sky.


	16. Cleansing

**Chapter 16 – Cleansing**

Wind blasting against their bodies, Raxtus and Geminus climbed up the tail of the moving plane, and onto the rear part of the fuselage, their passengers holding onto them tightly.

"Where do you want us to go?" blared Geminus, her voice partially muffled by wind, as the two dragons crawled forward toward the front of the plane.

"Well, we don't exactly have tickets for this thing," said Warren, "and I can't think of a safe way to get on-board the plane without attracting attention."

"How are we supposed to survive up here?" exclaimed Lance, covering his ears. "It's cold and way too windy!"

"I've got an idea," said Kendra, clenching the fingers of her right hand into a fist. At that moment, Ariel popped out of her ring. She almost got swept away by the wind before she could even react, but Kendra managed to grab her with her free hand.

"What's going on?" squeaked Ariel.

"It's a long story," said Kendra. "But I'll cut to the chase. Can you encase us in a protective dome?"

"I think so," said Ariel, raising her arms out of Kendra's hands. Bolts of magic shot out of Ariel's own tiny hands, causing a translucent, but otherwise clear dome of energy, to surround everyone in the group.

Suddenly, the pressure and noise caused by the wind seemingly vanished. Kendra and Seth looked around. It was if the plane had suddenly stopped moving, even though it was still in motion.

"What happened?" asked Lance, pressing his hand against the barrier to _test_ it.

"It's a protective barrier," replied Kendra. "Courtesy of Ariel. Now we can ride on this plane more comfortably."

"About as comfortable as a metal floor with no seats can get," said Seth, wiggling his butt around the spot where he was seated.

"Sorry, but I can't do everything," said Ariel sincerely.

"That's all right," said Seth, brandishing the ring he was wearing. At that moment, Umbriel popped out, and looked around.

"What do you want?" Umbriel asked disinterestedly, as she crossed her arms and turned away from Seth.

"This ride we're on's not all that comfortable," explained Seth. "Think you could conjure up some cushions or something for us to sit on?"

"Why should I?" asked Umbriel.

"Because you're my Fairy Guardian and it's your job to help me should I so ask," stated Seth.

"I don't care."

Ariel flew over from Kendra and up to Umbriel. "Come on, sis. Don't you want to be a Fairy Angel someday?"

"Leave me alone."

"Great," said Warren. "Zavarok must've influenced Umbriel at some point. Just great."

Umbriel scoffed. "So what?"

"If you're going to be this way," said Seth, as he recalled Umbriel back into his ring.

"Sorry about that," said Ariel. "Umbriel's always had a mean streak, but this is something else."

"Maybe I could persuade her," said Kendra. "All fairies must obey me if I command them."

"Not if they're corrupted," said Ariel. "I'm afraid this problem is out of our control."

"Why did I have to get Umbriel?" asked Seth. "Why not a nice fairy? It's because I'm a shadow charmer. I deserve a _bad_ fairy."

"Look, I'd help you if I could," said Ariel. "But this shield took a lot out of me."

"It's okay," said Warren. "We can just unfurl our sleeping bags and sit on them. Not a big deal if they get dirty."

Following Warren's advice, everybody pulled out their sleeping bags and arranged them all atop the roof of the plane, around the enclosed area that Ariel had provided them with. For now, their only option was to wait out the rest of the plane ride.

Kendra and Seth both knew that the ride would be a test of patience. Unlike being proper passengers on a plane, they would not be served any food that wasn't their own, nor would they even have so much as access to a washroom. Instead, everyone got by on food they packed, and kept themselves occupied either by reading material or a hand-held video game. Raxtus and Geminus kept to themselves, Raxtus trying to wait out his weakened condition.

A few hours later, the plane began descending downwards. "Kendra!" exclaimed Warren. "We're going down! You need to get Ariel to disable her shield so we can get off the plane!"

Kendra nodded, then released Ariel from her ring, and gave her Warren's directions. As soon as the shield vanished, air and noise came blasting through, making Kendra imagine how they ever would've survived without it.

Warren directed the others onto the backs of Geminus and Raxtus, then climbed on-board Raxtus himself.

"How're you feeling, Raxtus?" asked Warren, patting his neck.

"A bit better, but still kinda weak," replied Raxtus. "Don't know how long I can fly for, though."

"Just give it your best," said Kendra.

Raxtus nodded, then flapped his wings and leaped off of the plane as it sunk beneath the clouds, with Geminus following his lead.

"Wyrmroost should be in... _that_ direction," said Warren, pointing with one hand and holding a compass in the other. The dragons acknowledged where Warren was pointing, and set their flight path accordingly.

"How long is this going to take?" asked Seth.

"We're above Calgary right now," replied Warren. "Wyrmroost is due south from here. Should take... no more than an hour."

"An hour?" moaned Raxtus. "I don't know..."

"Just hang in there, Raxtus," said Kendra. "Everything's going to be all right."

The two dragons continued flying southbound. After some time, all the humans besides Kendra began to feel wary.

"Geminus," said Lance. "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

In the distance, Kendra could now see the glowing walls that served as the border around Wyrmroost. Up until now, she had no idea that they extended up so high into the sky.

"Everyone hang in there!" said Kendra. "Wyrmroost's distractor spell doesn't affect me or the dragons, but it does on the rest of you. Trust me, you're going to be okay!"

"Doesn't matter how many times I hear that!" exclaimed Warren, squeezing his eyes shut. "I always get the impulse to flee.

"I'd flee," said David, "but I'm not about to leap from a dragon this high in the air!"

"Everyone, just shut up and hold on tight!" said Geminus, as she and Raxtus soared forward. They approached the glowing wall of the sanctuary and proceeded to fly through it. Once on the other side, the male passengers no longer felt intimidated, and opened their eyes.

"We're here!" said Geminus.

"About time," gasped Raxtus. "Let's get to the shrine already before the other dragons kill us!"

Raxtus and Geminus spiralled downwards, the turbulence of which who exasperating for their riders. It felt like being on a roller coaster, only it didn't let up after a few seconds, they just kept falling and falling.

Before long, the rocky terrain of Wyrmroost came into view. Although they were still too high up to make out any distinguishing landmarks, Raxtus and Geminus seemed to know where they were going.

The dragons flew down towards a plateau, and landed safely. Kendra was starting to recall the spot in her mind. They were near the spot where the Fairy Queen's old shrine stood! Kendra assumed that they were rebuilding the new shrine in the same spot.

"How did you just get into Wyrmroost so easily?" asked Seth.

"We have our ways," said Raxtus. "Not only are we fairy dragons. but we're welcomed residents of Wyrmroost, so the barriers don't affect us. As for not getting spotted, the creatures here know who we are and don't bother us."

"They would've bothered us had they seen that we had passengers on our backs," said Geminus. "Things would've gotten pretty ugly. Ugly as in, we could've all bee massacred."

"I don't quite get why you fairy dragons choose to live in place like this," said Seth. "Your neighbors aren't exactly... friendly."

"It's where I was raised," said Raxtus. "Not that I had the easiest time throughout the ages, so I tended to stray away from there whenever I got the chance. Now that I've proven myself as a dragon, I get more respect, but I'm still not on the best of terms with everyone."

"There you are!" shouted a familiar voice from nearby. Everyone turned to look and saw that it had come from Bracken himself, who was surrounded by several other full-bodied fairies.

"Bracken!" exclaimed Kendra, running over to the unicorn and giving him a hug. "I've never been so relieved to see you."

"Kendra," said one of the other fairies. "We've heard great things about you. But, you're so... young!"

"What's she saying?" asked David, displaying a confused look on his face. "It sounds strange."

"She's speaking in Sylvian," replied Bracken, receiving blank looks from David and Lance. "It's a language spoken by fairies. With a few exceptions, most fairies aren't fluent in a human tongue."

"Right," said Lance. "Last time I was at Fablehaven, I had to communicate with the fairies there through actions, not with words."

Bracken nodded. "I hate to cut short the small talk, but I believe you are here on a more serious note, correct?"

"That's right, said Warren, looking back at both Seth and David. "Did Stan tell you everything that you need to know?"

"Everything I'd expect him to know and tell me. So, this Zavarok. Where is he now?"

"We think he's still confined to David," said Seth. "But, he was posing such a threat, that we suppressed him by having David wear my bracelet that I normally wear to restrain my shadow charmer prowess."

"I see," said Bracken, admiring the aforementioned bracelet that was snug on David's wrist.

"But before you do anything, you have to promise me that you won't harm Zavarok," said Seth.

Bracken sighed. "I don't know if we can do that. Our fairy magic does not go hand-in-hand with darkness, While we could no doubt extract him, it could _infect_ him, and potentially destroy him."

"But-but-but..."

"Enough," said Warren. "I'm sorry, Seth. But Zavarok's caused enough trouble, presumably by accident. We need to do something about this, whether he survives or not."

Seth placed him palm up to his head. "I give up. You guys win. Zavarok's just too big a problem for me to deal with. I tried everything, but failed."

Warren placed his hand upon Seth's shoulder. "Don't feel bad. Even though you never proved it, I still felt that in my heart, you've been truthful about this whole Zavarok thing. But at the end of the day, helping him safely is out of our range. What's done is done."

"Well, if you folks will follow us to our base camp, we can get this procedure underway," said Bracken.

"Sorry to butt in," said Raxtus, "but I've been overwhelmed with dark magic. "Care to help me?"

The fairies all unleashed their magic in beams of light at Raxtus for a few seconds then stopped.

"Much better. Thanks!"

Bracken led the group across the plateau a short ways until they reached a small grove where several tents had been set up.

"It's not much," said Bracken, "but we like to think of it as home."

"Please direct the young patient into this tent," said one of the fairies, pointing at a tent.

"Right in here, David," said Raxtus, leading the group into the tent. Roughly the size of Seth's bedroom, the tent contained a large, legless table situated in the center.

"All right, David," said Bracken, if you're ready, please lie down on the table before you."

Nodding in response, David then stepped up to the table and climbed on top of it. After looking around at the fairies, he sighed, then laid back on the table, stomach-side up.

"Like this?" asked David.

"Perfect," said Bracken. "Oh, take off you bracelet too, please."

"This won't hurt him, will it?" asked Kendra, as David removed the bracelet from his wrist.

"It could be very excruciating," replied Bracken, receiving several gasps. "For Zavarok. But we've gone over the risk already."

The five other fairies gathered around the table, although their bodies did not prevent spectators from watching David.

"Okay, girls," said Bracken, "let the extraction begin!"

"What'd he say?" asked David, looking worried. He was unable to understand Bracken speaking Sylvian.

"Just relax," said Kendra assuredly.

Glowing auras, in a myriad of different colors, spawned from the hands of the five fairies as they raised them above their hands. The fairies then lowered their glowing hands, before unleashing their magic upon David. Soon David was consumed by a rainbow of magic that was so intense, it lit up the entire tent like spotlights at a dance party.

Nothing seemed to be happening, but from the looks Kendra and Seth could make out in the fairies' eyes, they had to be doing something. After a few more seconds passed, the vibrant colors all died down, and the fairies lowered their hands away from David.

"I'd say they're done," said Bracken, crossing his arms together.

"It's over?" asked David, stroking an arm with his other hand.

"Where's Zavarok?" asked Kendra.

Bracken sighed. "I don't know what to make of this, but I'm afraid that I don't know."

"Is he... alive?" asked Seth.

"The fairies used their magic to cleanse David of any dark essences that might be lurking within him. Essentially, Zavarok would've been flushed out of David's body and soul."

"So where is he now?" asked David, sitting up on the table.

"Hard to tell," said Bracken. "Fairy magic is like poison to demons. If anything, he disintegrated and passed on to the netherworld."

"You mean, he's gone?" asked Seth worriedly.

"Unless he survived somehow," said Bracken. "The process isn't instantaneous. Could take a while."

"Why does it have to destroy him outright?" asked Lance.

"He's a demon," said Warren. "It had to be this way."

"Zavarok?" asked Seth, looking around and expecting a response. Any response would suffice, no matter how meek and faint it might be. "Are you there? Answer me!"

"The fairy magic severely weakened Zavarok," said Bracken, "assuming it didn't outright kill him."

"Look at the good side of all this," said Kendra. "Zavarok can't cause any more harm to creatures of light, even if it was unintentional."

"But... he's gone," said David. "I didn't want him to die. I mean, I don't even live at Fablehaven. "I could've gone home with Zavarok still lingering around, and it wouldn't have made any difference."

"And aside from keeping Zavarok around, what would that accomplish?" asked Warren. "He'd still be tied to you in perpetual limbo. And don't you want to become a Knight of a Dawn when you get older? They'd have to turn you down because being tied to a demon makes you a hazard to creatures of light."

"But, if Zavarok dies, he'll go to the netherworld for eternity," said David. "And that's the last place he wanted to visit."

"Are you absolutely sure Zavarok is gone?" asked Seth.

"I trust that my friends did a more than adequate job," said Bracken. "But if you'd like, I can see for myself."

Bracken suddenly began to transform. His body fell forward, and he transmogrified into his silvery unicorn form. Kendra, Seth and Warren had only had the honor of seeing this only once before, but they were still just as amazed as Lance and David.

"What are you doing?" asked David, as Bracken rested his glowing horn against David's chest, making sure not to prick it.

"He's clear," said Bracken. He then backed away from David and proceeded to slowly wave his head back and forth, horn still glowing.

"Uh, Bracken?" asked Kendra.

"I'm checking to see if Zavarok is anywhere in the vicinity," said Bracken. "Doesn't seem to be anything."

"Could there be any interference?" asked Kendra. "Like from the light energy you fairies exert?"

"Shouldn't matter," said Bracken. "And I'm not finding anything. "Either Zavarok got as far away from here as fast as possible, or he's been obliterated. And I wouldn't hold my breath on the former."

"I give up," said Seth, as Bracken returned to his human form. "I really wanted to help Zavarok, but I guess it was just a lost cause."

"I understand," said Warren, "but you caused a lot of trouble trying to fix things your way. Now, we still have Hespera to deal with."

"Yes," said Bracken. "Stan told me about her. But, aside from offering support, we don't have any leads on her ourselves. She was never an immediate concern to fairies."

"Any help you can offer is better than no help at all."

"How do we track her down?" asked Seth.

"Trask is supposedly looking into that," said Warren. "But, I don't know how far he intends to get. No one really knows who Hespera is, and she could be anywhere."

"Would you fairies be able to help?" asked Seth.

"Maybe," said Bracken. "But our job isn't finished. "We've got to get back to Fablehaven and restore all the fallen creatures. Although I don't like calling us fairies creatures at all. We're above that sort of terminology."

"Thank you so much for helping us," said Kendra, hugging Raxtus' arm. "I don't know what we'd do without you."


	17. Reunion

**Chapter 17 – Reunion**

Sitting atop Raxtus with Warren and Bracken, Kendra glanced over at Seth, Lance and David, who were riding on Geminus. Ever since departing Wyrmroost several hours prior, the two dragons had been flying non-stop the whole way on their journey back to Fablehaven.

I really hope the fairies at Fablehaven are still doing well," said Bracken. "I don't know if I'll have the strength in me to revive them all."

"Just do what you can," said Warren. "No one will fault you for doing your best."

"This Zavarok thing has gotten out of control. At least that horrific monster is behind us now."

Her gaze still fixated on Seth, Kendra wondered as to whether or not he had heard Bracken's remark. She knew that Seth had some strange fondness for Zavarok, but wasn't entirely able to comprehend it the way he did. Kendra felt more comfortable in siding with Bracken, as she had a hard time in trusting Seth's story herself.

Catching a good glimpse of Seth's face as Raxtus soared closer towards Geminus, Kendra could see that Seth still looked quite perturbed. Despite Seth's tendency for mischief and getting into trouble, she could sense that his expression was sincere. Had Zavarok actually not been a menace? True he was, for all intents and purposes, a demon. But did he actually possess a heart, and if so, was it in the right place? It was too late for questions at this point, beyond trying to ask Seth about what he already knew.

Nevertheless, with Zavarok no longer a threat, and Bracken on their side, the Knights of the Dawn could at least restore the fairies once they returned to Fablehaven. Seth had factored the situation into his mind, but was still perturbed over the loss over someone who might have not been a threat, at least intentionally.

Several hours had passed, but Raxtus and Geminus had made it clear that Fablehaven would not be much further. However, before they actually reached Fablehaven, they could see a large grey cloud looming across the horizon.

"Hey, what's up with that cloud?" asked Seth, as Geminus flew over towards Raxtus' side.

"Looks like rain," replied Raxtus. "And it's around the vicinity of Fablehaven. "Kind of a bummer, considering we're coming back with Bracken to help the fairies there."

"Correct me if I'm wrong," said Geminus, "but I'd swear that Fablehaven's beneath the direct center of that could."

Seth moaned. "I hope it's not another dumb after effect of Zavarok's former presence."

"Relax," said Warren. "It's only rain. Stan can just invite the hindered fairies inside and they'll be fine, so long as they don't stay in overnight."

However, as the group got closer to Fablehaven, they could start to sense that something was definitely amiss, as the massive cloud appeared to be thicker and denser.

"What's that smell?" asked Lance, who wasn't the only one taking a whiff of the air.

"It's smoke," said Warren, who then coughed. "This _cloud _isn't rain! There must've a forest fire down there! Raxtus, Geminus, fly below the smoke cloud!"

The two dragons responded to Warren's order by descending down through the smoke, until they passed beneath it. Once they air was clearer, the knights could see exactly what was going on. There had indeed been a forest fire, as the entire place had been torched, with little more than remnants of charred trees protruding out of the ground.

"Oh my god!" gasped Kendra, feeling worse than as if she'd been punched in the stomach. "What... what happened?"

The two dragons came to a halt as they landed upon the scorched ground where grass once stood, prompting their passengers to dismount.

"Is this Fablehaven?" asked David nervously.

"Correction," said Warren. "This _was_ Fablehaven."

"B-b-but how?" asked Seth, who felt like he was going to cry. "Our family..."

"Vanessa!" screamed Geminus in horror. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," said Raxtus, giving his mate a firm hug. "I don't know where anyone is."

"What happened?" asked Kendra. "Who could've done such a thing?"

An unseen voice responded with laughter. "Want to know who destroyed the place? I'll you who, face to face."

"That voice," said Seth. "It's..."

"Hespera," said the witch, appearing out of thin air before the group, "your culprit is me. But I've got an accomplice too, you see."

"That's Hespera?" asked Warren.

"Surprised you are. It's so much fun, to see you ponder when I have won."

"Hespera?" asked Bracken. "Say it isn't so. I heard you were no longer confined, but what are you doing here?"

"How'd you even get here?" asked Kendra.

"I spoke of an accomplice, did I not? I'm telling you again, since you seemingly forgot."

"That would be me," said another voice, as a figure magically appeared next to Hespera.

"Matthew?" asked Kendra.

"No!" gasped Lance. "Not... him."

"Hello, Lance," said Matthew with a wicked grin on his face. "Did you miss me?"

Lance started hyperventilating. "Please. Not Matthew. He was so cruel."

"I thought you were dead," said Seth.

Matthew laughed. "Yes. You _thought_. But you were wrong. For you see, while I was gravely injured by Ashley when she wrongly attacked, I survived. Had you Knights of the Dawn not been too busy dealing with Ashley, you might've been able to stop me then. But not anymore."

"But what are you doing here?" asked Warren.

"I suppose the least I can do is explain things for you weaklings before we defeat you."

"You'll never defeat us!" blared Bracken. "I have had it! I'm about to show you bigots what a real unicorn can do!"

Bracken began to glow in an aura of bright platinum, as a horn burst out of his forehead and he assumed his unicorn form. A rainbow of light then shot out of his spiralled horn and blasted itself at Matthew and Hespera. However, Hespera shielded them from the spectrum of light with some peculiar kind of black force field.

"You attacked with a rainbow, that much was plain. But it would appear that your effort has ended in vain."

Bracken ceased his rainbow attack, and snorted viciously.

"You failed to best us with a shiny rainbow. Now it's our turn to have a go."

A small clear orb, no larger than a baseball, appeared in Hespera's hands, which then floated over towards Bracken. The unicorn attempted to swat away at it with his horn, but he failed. Instead, the orb grew larger and consumed Bracken, until his entire body was trapped inside of it. He then regressed to his human form, as if by force, and the orb shrank down to its original size, bringing Bracken down with it. Lastly, it floated back into Hespera's hand.

"Let him go!" squealed Kendra.

"Give us a break," snorted Matthew. "He's trapped. Just like the rest of your kin before him."

"Warren," said Seth, his voice full of fear, "what do we do?"

Warren gulped. "We, uh- we..."

"We get out of here!" blared Raxtus, scooping up both Warren and Kendra onto his back and flapping away, prompting Geminus to do the same with Seth, Lance and David.

"Where do we go?" asked Geminus, as she flew alongside Raxtus.

"I don't know!" he snapped. "Away from here!"

Seth looked back down towards Matthew and Hespera, only to see Matthew vanish into thin air. He didn't have a clue as to where Matthew would end up, and wasn't looking forward to finding out.

Suddenly, Matthew, now having grown to gigantic proportions, appeared standing in front of the Knights. He had to be at least a hundred feet tall, and was looming over the two dragons. His presence nearly made everyone's hearts stop.

Geminus squealed as she came to a halt in mid-flight and bolted off in another direction, as did Raxtus.

"You can't escape," guffawed Matthew in a booming, massive voice, as he placed his hands around his waist.

"Do something!" gasped Lance.

"Our only hope is if I become fairyprime," said Kendra. "But I don't know if all of us are enough. The only magical beings among us are Raxtus and Geminus."

"It's worth a try," noted Seth.

"How does this even work?" asked David.

"Just clear your mind and open your heart," replied Seth. "The dragons'll do the rest."

Seth, Lance and David all closed their eyes and concentrated, as Geminus did the same while in midair. With Geminus' power, they all transformed into glowing balls of light and flew directly into Kendra's body.

Next, Raxtus and Warren transformed as well and were also absorbed by Kendra's body. She was now floating in the air due to a magical force. Suddenly, her hair turned rainbow-colored and wings spurted out from her back. It worked! They had successfully managed to pull of Kendra's transformation.

"So this is your alleged _fairyprime_ form?" asked Matthew. "Give me a break."

Matthew extended his hands towards Kendra and directed a blast of black energy at Kendra, only for it to bounce off of her.

"So you have _some_ power. But so what? You'll never defeat me."

Kendra had to act fast. Although she could feel power surging through her body, she was aware that Matthew did as well, and he knew full well the extent of his. Wanting to even the odds, she used her power to made her body grow larger. Just through sheer concentration, her body expanded rapidly. It shot up in size until her feet hit the ground and she had grown to the same proportions as Matthew.

Matthew scoffed. "Fine. Grow bigger. Now I get to pick on someone my own size."

Kendra watched in horror as Matthew's arms and legs fused together, and the rest of his body transformed into that of an enormous viper. Not know what else to do, Kendra extended her hands and blasted Matthew with a rainbow of magical energy. Nothing changed, and Matthew merely hissed in response.

"That'ssss pathetic," hissed Matthew. He then lunged towards Kendra and wrapped his body around hers. "Isss that the bessst you can do?"

Kendra struggled to break free, but Matthew's grasp on her was too tight. It even caused her to lose focus, as the stress of his wrap was enough to distract her from concentrating and ultimately using any magic.

Matthew then used his magic to shrink both himself and Kendra back down too their proper sizes, although Matthew remained a snake. "Too bad, Kendra. It takessss more that ssssize to bessst me."

Fed up with Matthew's wrath, Kendra forced herself to ignore his grip and began to focus on her power. Since Matthew was a snake, she thought about the first counter that entered her mind.

Kendra's body, still in Matthew's grasp, transformed into a mongoose. As the transformation caught Matthew off guard, he lost his grip on Kendra, allowing her to slip free. Kendra then lunged at Matthew, clenched her claws around his neck, and proceeded to strangle him. Matthew seemed too frazzled to react to Kendra, and while she knew that assault was anything but pleasant, it seemed like the only option at this point.

"You cannot trounce us sorry, to say. 'Tis Matthew and I who are victorious today."

It was Hespera, whose voice came from behind Kendra, followed by a blast of dark energy. The blast was powerful, searing through Kendra's body as though she was being dunked into freezing water on a hot day. Kendra not only felt petrified, but could feel her body getting weaker. She uncontrollably resumed her human form. Next, her wings retracted back into her shoulder blades, her hair reverted to its usual coloration and her fairyprime powers were gone. Subsequently, the rest of her allies appeared on the ground around her.

"What happened?" asked Seth, as Matthew squirmed his way out of Kendra's loosened grasp.

"I've de-powered Kendra, foolish child. Now she's weak, helpless, mild."

Matthew then transformed directly from a viper into a large, imposing manticore, standing across from Hespera, with the knights standing between the two of them."

"Where was I when we were so rudely interrupted?" asked Matthew. "Hespera's greatly enhanced my power. I'm a greater magician than ever before. You knights don't stand a chance."

"If I had help from the fairies," blurted Kendra, now barely able to move, "I would've been unstoppable in my fairyprime form!"

"Too bad Hespera and I scared off most of the fairies that were here. Not much of a threat to anyone who can traverse the barrier that's intended to keep unwanted visitors from entering Fablehaven. With our sheer power, it was a snap."

"Where is everyone?"

"We trapped them! Just like we did with Bracken. The thought of destroying them did cross my mind, but Hespera insists that they may have nuggets of information we need to extract, so they are still alive. But don't think you can just up and rescue them."

"H-h-h-how can you do this?" asked Lance. "You've captured everyone! You've destroyed Fablehaven. Why?"

"Power. Revenge. I wasn't too pleased after learning that you Knights of the Dawn had stopped Ashley and Oblivion. But, what was I to do? I couldn't stand up to the likes of you all by myself. The Society of the Evening Star had crumbled, and their assets were left up for grabs by surviving members. I managed to snag myself a nice little condo in Manhattan and lived there peacefully, recovering from my attack. Just yesterday, I was paid a visit by a certain witch by the name of Hespera, who had been living underneath the subway somewhere. She'd been banished down there long ago, but assured me she had been recently freed by some stupid kids and a dragon. I would've guessed they were just some juvenile delinquents or whatever, but when she told me their names, my eyes lit up. I don't know how how you got back to normal after being turned into rats, but quite honestly, I really don't care."

Upon hearing Matthew's remark, Seth couldn't help but notice David sulking. It had been _him_ who had ultimately freed Hespera, the events of which were dominating into something far worse than they could've realized.

"So Hespera, fresh out of her old home, sought me out through the use of her magical prowess. Lucky for me I didn't live too far away from her. We met up and discussed things. She offered to enhance my power in exchange for useful information. When I told her about the instruments of eternal power, she leaped at the opportunity to go after them, in spite of any complications there could be. One thing led to another, and since did I not only want to get back at you knights, but Hespera wanted to capture you as well, we travelled here. We devastated the preserve, captured everyone of importance, then waited out your return so we could capture the rest of you as well."

"How did you do it?" asked Warren. "How did you just waltz in here, turn the place upside down and capture everybody? Did they not even put up a fight?"

"The orb that I used to trap Bracken, is what the others have all been trapped in," stated Hespera. "My orbs are all tools of blight. The feed on the power of magical light. Fairy magic is rendered useless, leaving its users in sheer distress."

"The fairies all tried, but they couldn't match Hespera's power," said Matthew. "And since Hespera shared her power with me, they couldn't match myself either."

"So," asked Kendra fearfully, "what are you going to do now?"

"First, we capture you. Then, we figure out what to do with you. Once we're good and ready, we'll go after the instruments of eternal power and seize the. Then we'll be all-powerful!"

"You'll never succeed!" exclaimed Seth.

"You've all failed to stop us so far, despite your best efforts. In all honesty, I don't see how the residents of the Fairy Kingdom can do anything you couldn't do."

"Numbers!" exclaimed Geminus. "The fairies here are only a small fraction of what lies the Fairy Kingdom. You'll never defeat them all on their home turf!"

"Silence!" bellowed Matthew. "Enough of your bickering. Hespera, let's deal with the punks already."

Hespera nodded and unleashed another orb from her hand. It flew over towards Raxtus, expanded in size and surrounded him. It then shrunk Raxtus down like the previous one had done to Bracken, and flew back to Hespera's side.

"Leave him alone!" yelled Geminus, as another orb flew over towards her. She attempted to whack it away with her tail, but her attack didn't so much as phase the orb, and soon she too was captured.

David got the idea to run off, but another orb soon flew after and caught him, making him Hespera's next prisoner.

"There's nowhere to hide," laughed Matthew.

Next, Lance was captured in an orb, followed by Warren. Lastly, two more orbs came and caught Kendra and Seth inside of them. They then shrunk down, bringing the Sorenson siblings with them, as they flew back to Hespera's side, where the rest of their comrades, including Bracken, were waiting.

"Now what?" asked David worriedly.

Matthew, now a human again, walked over to Hespera and sneered down at the prisoners in their orbs. "We gotcha good now, don't we?" He then stood up and faced Hespera. "At last, Fablehaven has fallen. Let's put our new prisoners into my trunk and we'll be out of here."

Everyone watched in horror as Hespera levitated all the orbs alongside herself and Matthew as they proceeded to take a walk. They would've attempted to break out of the orbs at this point, but seeing as how Bracken wasn't even trying, they figured their attempts would've be futile.

Before long, Matthew and Hespera stopped in front of a black convertible. "Say goodbye to Fablehaven! You Knights of the Dawn are going for a _long_ ride, and you'll never see this place again!"


	18. Plotting

**Chapter 18 – Plotting**

Everyone watched from within the confines of the their orbs as Matthew pressed one of the buttons button on his keychain, prompting the trunk of his convertible to fling open. Hespera then used her power to levitate the orbs, along with the prisoners inside of them into the trunk, where she released her hold of them and caused them all to fall down.

Looking around, Kendra and Seth could see that there were more orbs inside the trunk than just the seven of them. Glancing around, they could see Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, Dale, Bright and Clover and trapped within orbs as well.

"Enjoy your time alone," said Matthew. "Before long, we'll be back at my place, where we'll deal with you for good."

Matthew then slammed the trunk shut, trapping all of the prisoners in the darkness. Of course, Kendra was still able to see in the dark due to her fairykind powers, but knew the most of the others had essentially been blinded.

"What happened?" asked Warren, who could hear doors being slammed from towards the front end of the car.

"It's awful!" cried Grandma Sorenson, as they could hear the car's engine starting up, and the entire vehicle began moving. "Matthew and Hespera just stormed in here, captured us in these orbs, and locked us in this trunk!"

"Wasn't there anything you could do to escape?" asked Geminus.

"We tried!" exclaimed Bright. "But these orbs just feed off all of our light energy!"

"And we lack physical strength," said Dale, so we've got no chance of breaking these things by force. If they even _can_ be broken, that is."

"I don't get it," said Lance. "Matthew was never _this_ powerful before. How'd Hespera do it?"

"Hespera was a terrible witch," said Grandpa. "Far more dangerous than someone like Matthew. For you see, she was one of the founding members of the Society of the Evening Star."

"And I just thought she had an ego problem," said Warren. "Naming herself after that hydra at Wyrmroost. Really wish she didn't actually live up to the name."

"And now that she's free again, her power's been restored, and she's enhanced Matthew in the process. If we'd known that she'd be this dangerous, we'd have taken extra precautions. But we were lax."

"We really can't get out of here?" asked Seth. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," replied Grandma. "Nothing we've tried has worked, and our options are limited."

"I've got Vasilis on me," said Kendra. "Maybe that'll work."

"Better not," said Grandpa. "The light energy that Vasilis expels would only strengthen your orb."

"I'll try with my sword," said Warren. "Nothing magical about it."

"Save your strength," said Grandma. "We've already bludgeoned these orbs with everything at our disposal, but no dice."

"And as long as we're trapped in these orbs, we can't use magic," said Bracken. "Great."

"Even our cell phones are useless," said Grandpa. "At this size, they're too weak to function at the right frequencies."

As the car continued driving, the orbs locked in the trunk began to sway back and forth from side to side each time the vehicle turned or changed speeds, making the whole experience seem fairly disorienting and uncomfortable, as one had to adjust their balance whenever their orb rolled around.

""What about the release valve for the trunk?" asked Warren. "Cars have them for when people get stuck in the trunk by mistake."

Dad snorted. "We tried that too. It's impossible for us to even so much as grip the handle in the orbs. And even if we could, we'd have no way to get out still, and Matthew and Hespera would be sure to notice if the trunk just flung open."

The rest of the trip felt like a nightmare, as the car continued driving for several more hours, stopping only at what the group assumed was the occasional traffic light. Eventually, it slowed down almost to a complete stop, then banked down a small hill before driving a bit further, then turning several more corners. At long last, the engine had been shut off, and the sound of car doors opening and closing could be heard.

At that moment, the trunk flung open. Standing before the knights were Matthew and Hespera, who, from what they could tell, appeared to be in an underground parking garage.

"Last stop," said Matthew. "Everybody out."

Matthew snapped his fingers, causing a duffel bag to magically appear in his other hand. Hespera then used her power to levitate every last orb into the duffel bag, which Matthew then proceeded to zip up, sealing the knights in darkness once again.

Kendra and Seth were terrified. Matthew had said that he was taking them back to his place, so they assumed that this had to be the parking garage of his condominium. But what could they do? They were all powerless against these two figures.

The bag was carried a short ways, stopping whenever they could hear a door being opened. Soon they boarded an elevator, which had to have climbed at least twenty stories before the duffel bag was carried out.

Another door was unlocked, and the bag was carried a bit further. Matthew then unzipped the bag and peered down into it.

"We're here!" he laughed. "You're lucky it's such a late hour, and we're already so tired. But you're not going anywhere! First thing in the morning, we're going to interrogate everything we can out of you knights, whether you like it or not! Have a good night, knights! If you fail to cooperate with us, you may not live to see the next."

Matthew then proceeded to zip the duffel bag back up, and the sound of a door sliding open could be heard. The bag was then flung into what had to be a closet, after which, the door could be heard as it was slid closed, and Matthew walked off.

"Now what?" asked David.

"I don't know," replied Grandpa. "We're cut off from the rest of the world where we are now, and nothing we've tried had has any sign of success. I hate to say it, but... we're doomed."

Grandpa was right. Things really did seem hopeless at this point. Fablehaven having been destroyed, along with Kendra and Seth's friends and family now in critical jeopardy, and nobody else knowing where they were.

Seth curled down into the base of his orb, and closed his eyes. In the span of just a few minutes, his life had gone from potentially healing the fairies at Fablehaven, to getting captured and being on the verge of losing everything.

"Isn't there _something_ we can do?" asked Kendra. "The fairies in the Fairy Kingdom! Couldn't they use the Omega Star to rescue us?"

"How're they going to know to use it in the first place?" asked Warren. "We can't exactly send out a distress signal to them like this."

"The fairies are at a standstill in regard to using the Omega Star to meddle with human affairs," said Bracken. "Even if we could contact them, they'd be unlikely to budge unless they themselves were in trouble."

"But they _are_ in trouble! If they don't do something quick, Hespera and Matthew may come up with a plan to overthrow them and obtain the instruments of eternal power. I don't know how, but after what they've done to us, I wouldn't put it past them."

"Won't the fairies realize there's a problem?" asked Seth. "I mean, if the shrine at Fablehaven got destroyed, they'd know if something was amiss. The only reason they didn't do anything when Oblivion was trying to revive Tritanoss, was because the keepers had been frozen, and the inter-dimensional barrier had been blocked off. Right? Besides, only fairies have the power to pass through the barrier. Unless Hespera's... also... part fairy?"

"Not that I'd rule out the possibility," said Warren, "but it's highly unlikely and would be a bit too coincidental for by my belief. But unless Hespera's got a trick up her sleeve, I wouldn't count on her breaching the Fairy Kingdom so easily."

"What if she's forcing fairies into doing her dirty work?" asked Seth. "Like when Navarog enslaved some fairies into activating the Essence of Immunity for him?"

"After the incident with Oblivion," began Bright, "we put in some extra security measures regarding passing through to the Fairy Kingdom from this world. Not only are the entrance points being heavily monitored, but an alarm will be sounded if an unauthorized individual were to pass through the barrier."

"What if Hespera or Matthew have a back way in?" asked Grandma. "Like how Oblivion was using her own statuette to pass through unnoticed."

"They'd still be detected," said Clover. "There's no way Matthew or Hespera could have much knowledge of the increased security if any at all."

"I hope you're right," said Lance. "Who does this Hespera think she is? For that matter, what kind of name is Hespera, anyway?"

"The only other Hespera I know, was that hydra at Wyrmroost," replied Raxtus.

"She's got some ego, naming herself after a monster," said Geminus. "It's not even her name that scares me, only her power."

After a while, the conversation died down, and soon everyone was left to their own devices. Not that there was much for them to do, all of them having been trapped inside orbs within a closed duffel bag.

"_Seth..." _said a very faint voice. "_Seth. Can you hear me_?"

Seth looked around, but could see that none of the others were paying any attention to him. Was this Zavarok? It couldn't be, could it? He had been exorcised, right?

"Zavarok?" asked Seth in a whisper, not wanting to draw attention from the others.

"_Yes, it's me_," said the voice, which sounded much weaker that it usually did.

"I thought you were... gone?"

"_I thought so too. Once I had been extracted from David, I could barely keep up with you guys. I followed you around as best as I could, until you wound up here_."

"You realize that this whole mess is your fault, right?"

"_I know. I but now that I'm free from David, I want to help if I can._"

"I'm not too thrilled about receiving any more _help _from you. And what good are you now? You're just a floating, intangible spirit."

"_Maybe I really can help_," said Zavarok. "_I overheard that those orbs feed off of light energy, correct_?"

"Yeah, so?"

"_Well, I'm a demon, aren't I? And you're a shadow charmer. Maybe if we combine our dark energies, it'll burst open the orb_."

Seth's eyes suddenly lit up. "You really think so?"

"_Might as well try it. You've got nothing to lose, right_?"

Seth nodded, and placed his hands against the side of his orb. Concentrating as hard as he could, he envisioned dark thoughts surging through his body and into the orb itself. After a few seconds passed, the orb itself faded away, causing Seth to fall through, landing atop one of the other orbs.

"Seth!" exclaimed Kendra. "You're free! What happened?"

Several flashlights were shone in Seth's direction, earning several surprised gasps from the others.

"Zavarok," said Seth. "He's still here. We combined our dark energies and negated the power of my orb."

"Zavarok?" asked Grandpa, sounding astounded. "I'd love to ask questions, but the sooner we get out of here, the better."

"Okay, Zavarok, help me open more orbs."

"_I don't know if I can_," said Zavarok. "_I was only able to open yours, because dark energy was flowing both in and out of it_."

"Great," said Seth, relaying the information to the others.

"Well at least save yourself," said Grandma. "Try to escape from here, and find out where _here_ is. Find a way to contact the other knights and get help ASAP!"

"Got it," said Seth, climbing atop the orbs to the sealed mouth of the duffel bag. He followed the zipper track over his head to the centre of the bag, where two the two sliders were touching. Seth stuck his hands between a narrow gap between the sliders and pushed one aside slightly, causing the zipper to open up only slightly, but creating a large enough space for him to slip through.

Seth reached through the open zipper and climbed out of the duffel bag. "This is it," he said down to the others. "I'll see what I can do from here."

The others all wished Seth luck, as he eyed the crack in the floor beneath the closet door. He slid down the side of the duffel bag and scurried over to the crack, then examined the door with his flashlight. He discovered that it was a bifold door, which meant that it might be possible for him to nudge open.

Seth stood to one side of the door and pushed against it with all the strength that he could. The door then slid open slightly, giving Seth enough space to slip out into the hallway.

With the hallway already lit up, Seth shut off his flashlight and gazed at his surroundings. The hallway seemed massive in contrast to his shrunken size. Part of him wondered why being released from the didn't cause him to also revert back to his normal height.

Seth proceeded to creep down the hallway, his feet stepping through the floor of wall-to-wall carpeting, which felt as though he was walking on cotton.

Upon reaching the end of the hallway, Seth found himself standing before the living room, where he could see Hespera sitting on a couch. Afraid of getting spotted, Seth slipped behind the pot of a large floor plant for cover.

"And how do you propose we go about doing this?" asked Matthew from the living, whom Seth failed to notice when he glanced at Hespera.

"I have a plan. It involves a demon. And if it works, we've essentially won."

"What demon?" asked Matthew.

"Navarog. Oh yes, we can. For you must know I have plan."

"Navarog?" asked Matthew. "You're the greatest witch in existence, and you want to enlist a demon who's been banished and weakened?"

"I'm willing to go to any length. For I can restore Navarog's strength."

"Problem. First of all, according to Snitch, Kendra wished that Navarog could never hurt anybody."

"A loophole I know all too well. I'll restore his power with a counter-spell."

"And what about the fact that he's been banished to the knapsack forever?"

"We've heard that the knapsack had been burned to a crisp. So technically the knapsack no longer exists. The room that it hosted no longer connects. By no means a knapsack, as I would suspect."

"I think I get it," said Matthew. "The wish was to banish Navarog to inside the knapsack. However, while the physical knapsack no longer existed, the room it was associated with still did, so the wish managed to send Navarog there. But since the wish specifically mentioned banishing Navarog to the _knapsack_ forever, the forever part was pretty much meaningless. But, are you sure?"

"Magic words are always exact. Learn your magic. Study the facts. No knapsack. No clause. The forever term is at a loss."

"Okay, so Navarog could maybe be released from the kna- that room. How're you gonna get him out and into the fairy world?"

"You claim that Oblivion found him when he was in the Fairy Realm. But he failed to rescue him, as he was overwhelmed."

"Yeah, Oblivion discovered that the vents from the knapsack were connected to the Fairy Kingdom because he sensed Navarog's presence. But he didn't bother with rescuing him. I guess he didn't bother, because he figured Navarog was helpless. But, how're _you_ going to get into the Fairy Kingdom or the knapsack? Oblivion never revealed his secret to anyone."

"Have no fear. I'll find a way. But tomorrow is another day. For now I wish to go to sleep. Leave me be. And not a peep."

"Oh, all right," said Matthew, as he stood up from the armchair he had been sitting in. "We'll discuss this more in the morning."

As Matthew walked over toward the hallway, Seth dreaded that he would be spotted, even though he had concealed his entire body. Matthew then flicked off a light switch, darkening the living room. As he continued through the hallway, he banged his fist on the closet door and laughed wickedly, then entered another room and closed the door behind himself.

At least Matthew was gone. But Hespera was still there. Although the only light in the room now was coming in through the window, Seth could still sense was was going on. He watched as Hespera levitated a nearby bag over to herself and rummaged through the contents. She pulled out a potion and proceeded to drink it. Seconds later, she fell down onto the couch and was out like a log. No doubt she had just swallowed a sleeping potion

Seth proceeded to walk around the condominium, hoping to find a way out. It seemed hopeless, as the windows were all closed, and were unreachable at his shrunken height. The front door was out of the question as well. He could try using a phone, if he could reach one, but even if he were to call for help, Seth had no knowledge of his location.

"_Hey, Seth_," said Zavarok. "_Over here!_"

"Where's _here_?"

"_The bag by Hespera_!"

Seth scurried over to the bag. Even though she had taken a sleeping potion, Seth still dreaded that he might somehow wake her up.

"_Maybe you could use a potion_?" said Zavarok suggestively.

Seth climbed into the bag, which was still opened, and shone his flashlight at the contents within it. There were several potion vials, all of which had been labelled."

"Which one do you suggest?" asked Seth, examining the various labels.

"_I don't know. I never really learned how to read English, even when I was in David_."

"Aha!" exclaimed Seth. "I found one that's really worth using! A dragon potion!"


	19. Don't Drink and Dragon

**Chapter 19 – Don't Drink and Dragon**

A grin widened across Seth's face as he examined the vial that his eyes were fixated upon. "A dragon potion? Is this for real?"

"_After what I've seen happen today, I wouldn't be so fast to doubt it," _said Zavarok.

"Oh man. If I were to drink this, I'd turn into a dragon! And if I were a dragon, then I'd be able to save the others!"

"_Sounds like a plan. I say go for it. What have you got to lose?"_

Seth, who was roughly the same size as the entire vial, examined it closely. "I guess I don't need to drink the full thing at my current size. "But how do I get it open?"

"_Why don't you ask your fairy for help_?"

Seth moaned. "Umbriel's not all that easy to cooperate with. But, given the current situation, maybe she'll be more inclined to help. I don't really see what I have to lose at this point."

Seth formed a fist with his hand and concentrated on the ring. At that point, Umbriel magically appeared before him. At her regular size, she appeared to be slightly taller than Seth himself.

"Seth!" exclaimed Umbriel. "What happened to you? What's going on?"

Seth proceeded to tell Umbriel about the current predicament he and the others had gotten themselves into, and how they were now in the apartment of Matthew Alder.

"That's terrible!" gasped Umbriel. "Seth, if you really were in trouble, you should've called me the moment you got out of your orb!"

"Sorry," said Seth. "I didn't think to do that until Zavarok reminded me."

"Cut to the chase," said Umbriel. "What can I do to help?"

"I need to get out of here," said Seth.

Umbriel muttered to herself. "I could restore you to your proper size. But if you're under some enchantment, it wouldn't last very long. Or, I could help you escape."

"I found a dragon potion in this bag. Can you help me get it open?"

"A dragon potion? For real? Don't you think that's a bit much?"

"Look, if I were a dragon, I could rescue the others from the closet and get out of here easily. I might even be able to attack Matthew and Hespera in their sleep!"

"Seth, with the exception of fairy dragons, most dragons are enormous! And we all know full well that you possess anything _but_ fairy-like qualities. You drink that thing, you might even hurt those you care about. And what if you aren't able to change back?"

"I doubt I'll grow huge, since I'm already tiny to begin with. And at this point, I don't see what I've got to lose. Please, help me with the potion."

"Oh, all right," moaned Umbriel

Seth directed Umbriel to the potion, and the fairy used her power to transfer the vial out of the bag and onto the floor. He then had her use her magic to uncork the vial, exposing its contents to the open air.

"Great," said Seth, as he placed his arms around the vial, then slowly tilted it back, positioning it so that the mouth was directly over his head. As he slowly titled the vial downwards, a drop of the green potion sploshed down onto his face.

Balancing the vial with just one hand, Seth used his other hand to wipe his face clean, then gripped the vial again. Adjusting his aim, Seth opened his mouth as wide as he could, and allowed the potion to pour down into it.

The potion guzzled all over Seth's face, dripping down his chin and the front of his shirt. It had a strange taste, almost like a blend between vinegar and licorice. While Seth would never combine such flavors under his own discretion, he told himself it was for his own good, and drank as much of the potion that flowed into his mouth as he could.

After a few seconds, Seth choked on all the potion in his mouth, prompting his to drop the vial, allowing more potion to spill out onto the carpet flooring.

"Seth, are you okay?" asked Umbriel.

Seth coughed, and nodded in response. "I'm fine," he said faintly. "How much of this stupid thing do they expect me to drink? If I drink any more, I'll puke!"

"You do realize that potion was intended for a full-sized human, right?"

A churning feeling present in his stomach, Seth placed his hands over his chest. It felt as though he had a stomach ache, the pain of which was rapidly spreading to other parts of his body. He could feel as his body began to expand in size, bursting out of his clothes. He could feel as his skin transformed into scales, a snout extended from his face, while a tail and wings grew out of his backside. His nails and teeth had grown, and were now spiked, as were the horns that adorned his head and the ridges that had appeared along his backside.

Once the sensation stopped, Seth glanced at his arms and lower body. He was now a dragon, navy blue in color, and roughly the size of his normal human form.

However, before he or Umbriel could even react, Seth began to feel woozy. Not from the transformation, but just from his surroundings. Everything around Seth appeared to become blurry. It was if the world around him was fading out of existence.

Once the interior of Matthew's condominium had vanished, Seth found himself to be floating in what could best be described as a strange void. It was as though he was in the middle of the sky, only it was crimson-colored, and there was no feeling of gravity. Dark, grey clouds drifted by near Seth, as well as in the distance. Wherever it was that Seth had suddenly travelled to was too weird for words. Why was probably weirder still.

"Seth?" asked a deep, booming voice from behind the newly-transformed dragon. Not even having had a chance to properly adapt to his new body, Seth turned around in midair and nearly froze in shock. Floating before him was, what appeared to be, _Navarog_.

A consequence of having been shrunk by Hespera, Seth was technically still at greatly reduced size, even though he was roughly human-sized. Navarog, however, was at his true, full size, and he was looming over Seth.

A feeling of dread overcame Seth. Why had drinking the potion brought him to this place? And what was Navarog doing here? Wasn't he still confined to the knapsack. Whatever Hespera and Matthew had been planning was simply that, planning.

"Navarog?" asked Seth fearfully.

The dragon expressed a confused look, then beamed down at Seth. "Yeah, I guess we do look alike."

Seth sighed, feeling as though he had just awoken from a nightmare. "It's only you. But, why are you a dragon now? And, for that matter, why are you... alive?"

Zavarok groaned. "I'm not alive, I'm afraid. And neither are you."

Seth shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"We're in the netherworld, I'm afraid."

"The netherworld?" asked Seth. "What happened? We've gotta get out of here!"

"No can do," said Zavarok. "Once you enter the netherworld, there's no going back."

"But why are we here? You weren't dead, exactly."

"I was fading, and was feeling very weak. Once you summoned Umbriel, I think it was her light energy that did me in, and just as you transformed into a dragon, I was here."

"Well what brought _me_ here?"

"Death, it would seem."

"How'd_ I_ die?" asked Seth, unable to properly grasp the fact that he had lost his life.

"The potion may have been poisonous. Possibly a trap."

"But it _did_ turn me into a dragon. If this _was_ a trap, why make it so authentic. Besides, if they had wanted any of us dead, they could've killed us easily."

"Maybe the drink wasn't safe for mortal consumption?" asked Zavarok..

Seth shook his head. "Poisoning aside, if I died, why'd I come here?"

"Let's see," replied Zavarok. "Are you dead?"

"I guess."

"Are you a monster?"

"I suppose."

"Are you demonic?"

"Well, I am a shadow charmer."

Zavarok groaned. "I hate to say it, but you do in fact qualify for the netherworld."

"Well I never signed up for this! Just because I have certain qualities doesn't make me evil!"

"That's the story of my life. I was an outcast due to my very being. I mean, just look at me!"

"But, you're not evil, are you?"

"Might as well have been evil. The way everyone treated me."

"So what do we do now?" asked Seth.

"Beats me," said Zavarok. "No one who's been to the netherworld has ever been known to return.

"Why not? We got in easily enough."

"It might be possible. I have a theory that since this place is full of demons, it wouldn't surprise me if they're all at home here, with no desire to leave. My other theory is simple; leaving really is impossible."

Zavarok might very well be correct. An exit to this place was unheard of. Perhaps using something like the Translocator would work, but Seth didn't have access to it, and even if someone did, they would not only need to possess knowledge of him being in the netherworld, but would have had to have been there in the past to travel there.

"At least try to to find a way," said Seth, as a large, menacing-looking monster floating up towards him and Zavarok. Possessing shaggy, purple fur and four arms, the monster towered over Seth, but was dwarfed by Zavarok.

"Who are you?" growled the monster. "Are you new here?"

"Uh, yes," replied Zavarok.

"And you?" asked the monster, pointing his grubby, purple hand towards Seth. Seth nodded in response.

"You know of a way out of here?" asked Seth.

The monster drifted up towards Seth, and suddenly grasped his entire body in his hands with a firm grip. "You no give orders to me like that!"

"Hey, let him go!" said Zavarok, peering down at the purple monster.

Somewhat startled, the monster released Seth from his grasp and backed away.

"Don't mind me," said the monster. "I didn't know he was with you. Me sorry."

"Why did you go after him like that?" asked Zavarok. "We're sorry if we entered your territory."

"What would I want with a place like this?" asked the monster. "There's nothing here! And why it you who is sorry for it? You're big. You're tough. I'm surprised you haven't already attacked me."

"Why would I attack you?" asked Zavarok.

"You're weird," said the monster. "But if you're new here, let me put it this way. In this place, the tough are top. The weak are bottom. Tougher you are, better you be."

"What if you're weak?" asked Seth.

"You suffer. Unless you have tough friend. Then you do okay."

"And how does one get out of here?"

"Out of where?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you? The netherworld! How do we get out of the netherworld?"

"I don't know. Demons have been here since before time was thought up. These same demons still here."

"You mean, escape is impossible?" asked Seth.

"I guess so. But why would you want to leave? This place is paradise. At least for a big demon like your friend. Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Zavarok. Twin brother of Navarog."

"Navarog? A twin? Hmm. Me never met Zavarok. Never knew he had a twin. But I have heard great things about him. But I never heard of you before."

"Let me ask you, something?" asked Zavarok. If I really were Navarog, what would you have done?"

"If _you _were Navarog? I don't know. I heard that Navarog was very nasty. You seem less threatening for a demon so big and powerful."

"Let's just say that I'm the _good_ twin," said Zavarok. "But if you don't treat me right, I can be every bit as nasty as my brother."

The monster shivered. "Oh, I'll be good."

"Then tell us how to get out of this place. For real! Or do I have to get cruel?"

"I told you!" exclaimed the monster. "There really is no way out of here! Believe me, I want you to leave! With you gone, that's one less bigger demon I have to worry about!"

"All right," said Seth. "If you can't help us, I don't really care. Just beat it and stay away from us."

"You got it!" said the monster, and he proceeded to float away, exhibiting a look of relief on his face.

"Well, now what do we do?" asked Zavarok. "I didn't like sounding like such a bully, but that monster was a jerk."

"What do you expect?" asked Seth. "You said it yourself. This isn't the place where all the friendly monsters go."

"My point exactly," said Zavarok. "A being like myself has no place in a world like this!"

"You think you're misplaced?" asked Seth. "My death was peculiar, and I'm not even a demon! You I can understand, but I have no reason to be here!"

"Hey, I don't like it any better than you."

"This whole thing is all your fault!" exclaimed Seth. "Possessing David. Leading us on a wild goose chase. Do you even stop to think about what you've done?"

"Sorry!" blurted Zavarok. "I didn't expect all of this to happen!"

"We'd have been better off if you'd never shown up at all! Your demise shouldn't be our problem! All you've done is get everyone into a lot of trouble! You many not come off as being mean like Zavarok, but so what? You've still managed to make things worse when they didn't have to be."

"Look, I just needed the chance. I freed you from that orb, didn't I?"

"Leave me alone," said Seth. "Your one good deed wasn't enough. We've got no more chances, now. I was everyone's last hope. Now Matthew and Hespera are free to do what they want."

"But Seth,"

"I said leave me alone. Or do you incapable of doing that as well?"

"Okay," said Zavarok. "I get the hint. I'll leave you alone."

Zavarok flapped his wings and floated away, leaving Seth all alone to float by himself in the void. While he felt relieved to be free from Zavarok, Seth was already feeling regret for being so harsh. But Zavarok kind of deserved it, didn't he? He was the one who had triggered all of these recent chains of events.

Now free to move on his own, Seth proceeded to flap his wings. The feeling felt familiar, as he had gotten used to having wings when he had been possessed by Navarog. However, he never did get an opportunity to have control over them. Even still, wings seemed relatively useless in a void like this, as there appeared to be no such thing as gravity in the netherworld.

As if by using his own thought, Seth began to float off in another direction, feeling as though he could control exactly where he wanted to go. Not knowing where he should go, or even where he _could_, Seth decided to just floating in one direction until he found something.

Before long, Seth could see a massive, floating spire-like piece of rock up ahead. It must've been the size of a large office building. Still, it seemed as good as any a place to land. As he came closer, he discovered a small clifftop along the side of the massive rock.

Seth came to a stop one his feet made contact with the cliff, and he stopped to rest himself. Although he was not tired-out physically, he still needed to rest his head after so much commotion.

Before long, a large, grey, serpent-like head peered itself around the side of the rock, and glared down at Seth.

"Who are you?" asked the head.

"Uh, who wants to know?"

"I am Mahkenchodi. And this is my rock!"

At that moment, at least ten more heads appeared, all of which were identical to the first. All together, the many heads looked fairly intimidating.

"Look," said Seth. "I really didn't know that this rock was yours. I leave, don't worry!"

"Don't leave," said all of Mahkenchodi's heads in unison. "All thirteen of my heads have been _so _bored ever since number eight swallowed my last_ guest_."

One of Mahkenchodi's heads nodded. I think she's still inside me somewhere. She was a small demon, just about your size. Care to meet her?"

"Uh, no thanks," said Seth, backing away from Mahkenchodi's many heads. Don't see why you'd want to eat me, anyway."

"I don't care about eating you. I just want to use you as a chew toy."

"I'm sure I taste awful," noted Seth.

"I'll be the judge of that," said Mahkenchodi, as her many heads lunged towards Seth. The first few missed him, but one of the succeeded in grabbing him in it's jaws.

Seth could feel as the head's many teeth held him in a clasp, but failed to so much as pierce his skin. He then felt as another set of teeth clamped onto his lower body, and the two mouths attempted to pull Seth apart as far as they could. However, they were not successful in tearing his body in two. It then hit Seth that he should actually be in a lot of pain, but he couldn't feel anything.

"I won't make the mistake of loosing you," said several of Mahkenchodi's free heads. "I never let all of my heads sleep at once, so don't worry. We're going to be together a long, long time."

Seth fretted. His day just seemed to get worse and worse. First he was trapped and shrunk. Then he turned into a dragon and died, ending up in an afterlife for demons. Now he was trapped in the jaws of a vicious monster, and knew of no way of escape. Everyone was in danger, and he there was nothing he could do. He had lost.

Although he was in no physical pain, Seth could feel tears forming in his eyes. He didn't care at this point. If Mahkenchodi saw him crying, so what? Seth just let it all out, as tears poured out from his eyes. He was crying, not that it would do him any good. Suddenly, Mahkenchodi's teeth slipped right through him. But they didn't pierce his skin, because Seth was starting to fade away.


	20. Resurgence

**Chapter 20 – Resurgence**

Feeling his body fade out of existence, Seth was not sure what to think of it; it all happened so fast. The world around him was dissolving once again, only for him to reemerge in the sky somewhere else, as his body became solid again as well.

As Seth's body materialized in what appeared to be Earth's sky, the force of gravity immediately began plunging him downwards. As he fell, a torrent of raindrops splashed against his body, as he spiralled uncontrollably towards the ground.

If Seth didn't take action, he was bound to hit the ground and possibly kill himself. Again. Fortunately, he was a dragon now, and had the wings to handle the situation, although he had never properly used them on his own.

Thinking back to his days as Navarog, Seth unfurled his wings outwards. Raindrops shot against them like bullets but his wings were at least slowing his descent. Having gained more control, Seth swerved his body forward, aligning himself in a proper flying position. Now that he was properly flying and not falling, Seth was overcome with a feeling of relief.

Seth gazed down as the rain continued to pour past him, and could see the rooftops of highrises spanning several miles in every direction, stopping only at bodies of water. Seth assumed that he was back in Manhattan, but how? And why?

Wanting to stop for a moment and gather his thoughts, Seth soared down towards the rooftops, looking for a place to seek shelter from the rain. As he landed upon a rooftop, Seth was quick to notice that it provided him with absolutely no shelter whatsoever. However, he did see a door which presumably led to a stairwell into the building.

Seth tredged over to the door and twisted the knob with his dragon hand. To Seth's surprise, the door was unlocked, allowing him to enter. As he stepped inside, Seth pondered as to whether or not he could have busted open the lock with his dragon body if he had to.

Although he was out of the rain, his problems were far from over. As a dragon, or whatever he resembled to anyone who didn't drink magical milk, Seth was uncertain as to where he should go, as he did not have Matthew's address, or even information needed to contact any of the Knights of the Dawn. He didn't even know where he could stay, although he figured that at least he could reside at the top of the stairwell if no one was around to stop him.

Regardless, at least Seth was no longer in the netherworld. Looking back, the whole experience felt more like a dream than a reality. Had he actually been there? Or did he enter some sort of trance upon drinking the potion, fly around aimlessly, only to awaken in the sky? Either way, Zavarok did not seem to be with him any longer. If this really had been a dream, then where had Zavarok even gone? Could Seth really still stay mad at him, if crossing into the netherworld never even happened?

As it stood, Seth was completely at a loss. He had no idea to find his family or anyone who could help. Fablehaven had been destroyed, along with any useful information his family might've kept there. He didn't know where to find any allies of the Knights of the Dawn, and didn't have the phone number or addresses of anyone he knew, including people like Grandpa and Grandma Larsen, Agad, or Trask. He could try to find his way to a place like Living Mirage, but only knew that it was somewhere in Turkey. The fact that he was not a human only hindered his chances even further.

Seth then remembered that dragons possessed the power to transform into humans. While he was only a pseudo dragon, he mulled over the idea as to whether or not such a thing would even be possible. Alas, he had no idea as to how he could make use of his dragon powers, if he even had any. At least he still had his shadow charmer powers, not that they could help in this situation.

But maybe his shadow charmer powers _could_ help. He remembered how fairies were able to detect one another through sensing their aura. Although Seth's powers relied on darkness, maybe their was a way for him to sense the light energy emitted by Kendra and the others at Matthew's condominium. Giving the situation more thought, Seth then recalled that they were presumably still confined to their light-consuming orbs, probably making their detection an impossibility.

Seth tried to think of a solution, until one hit him. Umbriel! She had stayed back in Matthew's condominium when he passed through to the netherworld. Wherever she was now, could there be a chance he could try to pinpoint her presence? Seth didn't know how, but he had to try.

Seth knew that back when Bright and Clover tried to search for Kendra after she'd been kidnapped by Matthew and Ashley, they had to close their eyes to search for her, and that being up in the air would increase their success rate. Seth didn't have the first clue as to how this type of thing even worked, or if it was even possible, but one thing was for sure. He had to at least try.

Seth closed his eyes and focused entirely on darkness. He tried to sense if there was an ominous presence in the vicinity. He'd utilized this ability in the past, and could tell if there were other beings of darkness nearby, but never to detect signs of light energy. He was hoping he could luck out and detect light energy through a false positive sensing for darkness.

After trying for a good minute, Seth gave up, as he knew he was going nowhere fast. But what was he to do? Although he knew that Matthew lived on Manhattan, the island itself wasn't too large, it was a congested place filled with millions of people. Even if his powers _could _detect light, he'd have to go all over Manhattan, testing out his theory constantly, or at least until he lucked out. Of course, if there was anything Seth had been lacking lately, it was luck.

There had to be a smarter way to go about doing this. There had to be somewhere where Seth could radiate his detection to a larger portion of the island. He needed to properly _broadcast_ it. Of course! He could fly to the top of a tall building and try his power out there.

Seth crawled out from the open stairwell and into the rain, where he gazed around the surrounding area for a tall building. It didn't take too much searching to find an ideal one; the Empire State Building. With not a moment to waste, Seth spread his wings and leapt off the rooftop. He soared between buildings, the rain pouring down upon him relentlessly. Before long, Seth approached his destination.

The Empire State Building was a glory to behold, but it was not the time for Seth to admire the scenery. He made a beeline for the very top of the building, where the antenna was situated, and landed by its base. The sign of a rainstorm drew the possibility of the antenna getting struck by lightning, but Seth was determined to take the risk regardless.

As he did before, Seth focused on spreading his dark vibes down upon the city, in the hope of possibly finding a sign of light. At first, Seth was unable to sense any irregularities, be they light or dark. Everything appeared to be normal. Seth concentrated harder than before, hoping to find something out there. It seemed futile, as Umbriel was but a tiny fairy in a big city.

Seth focused as hard as he could on sensing the city. There _had_ to be something, he just wasn't sure as to how he could detect it. He rotated his body around on the spot, doing slow, complete revolutions, hoping to discover something.

As Seth continued to sense around, he felt as through something had gently tickled his brain at one point, but not through physical means. Seth titled his head in the direction he had sensed the feeling, and could feel it once more. It was very faint, but at least he could feel _something_.

Seth then took off from the top of the Empire State Building, flying in the direction from which he could sense the minor feeling of light energy. He flew forward a few blocks, then landed down upon another rooftop.

Facing in the same direction, Seth exerted his dark vibes again, hoping to pick up that same feeling as before. He felt it, and it was a fair bit stronger than it had been previously. Seth figured that if he continued like this, he would eventually find the source. Of course, if he flew too far, there was the chance he would overshoot his goal, as he didn't know the exact strength of the wavelength he had been sensing.

Seth proceeded onwards, stopping at every few blocks and attempting to sense the light energy each time. Sure enough, each attempt got stronger and stronger. At one point, he stopped upon a certain building, and could feel the light energy coming from beneath him.

Seth jump off of the roof and clench his claws upon the wall, so that he was gripping the sides. He proceeded to climb down several stories, utilizing his claws as picks. The energy source he had been sensing had to be inside this building, he could feel it. But if it really was Umbriel, Seth couldn't help but wonder how he had been able to sense her from so far away. But what if Matthew and Hespera had found out what had happened, and had deliberately set up a trap to draw him in? Either way, Seth was willing to take the risk.

Using his power further, Seth climbed down until he was in front of one particular window, one that took up the entire wall of a room. The energy vibes he was feeling were pulsating more from this window than from any other point on the building. Although he could not see through the curtains on the other side of the glass, he could indeed sense something.

Seth placed the nail of his index finger against the window and proceeded to push it through the glass like a blade. Either his nail was sharp enough, or his body possessed sufficient strength. He then moved his claw from side to side, creating a groove in the glass. Seth proceeded to cut several more grooves in the glass, until he had created an opening large enough for him to fit through.

Seth gently lowered the sheet of glass he had cut out through the the curtain and placed it down on the carpeted flooring, then stepped through himself. Amazingly, his guess had been _correct_. Out of the rain, he was back in Matthew's living room, and sleeping on the couch was Hespera!

This was Seth's chance! Hespera was asleep, and Seth was free to attack her with a preemptive strike.

"Seth!" exclaimed a high-pitched, familiar voice. "You are Seth, right?"

Umbriel flew up to Seth, a confused look visible on her face. Just to confirm his theory, he could sense that the energy he had detected had indeed been Umbriel.

"Yup, I'm back," said Seth quietly.

"Where'd you go?" asked Umbriel.

"Long story. I'll tell you later. Right now I've just want to kill theses two jerks and save everyone."

Seth crept across the room, making his way towards the couch. Although he did not feel afraid, Seth was still fearful of what would happen if Hespera somehow woke up and managed to counter him.

"Seth!" cried Umbriel, flying up in front of Seth's face. "Something feels very... wrong."

"Not now," muttered Seth, wincing in response.

"Help me!" she gasped, placing her hands upon her face.

"Just a minute!" huffed Seth.

At that moment, Umbriel let out a very shrill scream, as though she was doing it involuntarily. Despite her diminutive size, the scream was loud enough that Seth had to stop and cover his ears.

The noise only lasted a few seconds. But by the time it stopped, Seth witnessed Umbriel undergoing a transformation; she had turned into an imp!

"No!" gasped Seth, looking down at Umbriel. Now a spider-like imp, she had fallen down to the floor and was running around aimlessly.

"You don't fool me, you must be Seth," said Hespera, who had woken up during all the commotion. "And you deserve a fate worse than death."

Not knowing what else to do, Seth lunged at Hespera, who quickly deflected him away with some sort of energy shield before he could make contact with her. The force of the shield sent Seth flying across the room, causing him to crash into a wall.

"I do not know what you have done. Except that now you're a dragon."

Hespera fire a blast of energy towards Seth, who leapt away from it. The energy shot missed Seth, but left a burn mark on the wall.

"What's going on here?" asked Matthew, who was standing in the hall between his room and the living room. "Hespera, who's this dragon!"

"It's Seth who caused all of this commotion. He somehow got hold of my dragon potion!"

"I don't know how you did it," said Matthew, "but you're dead, you little prick!"

Matthew stretched out his arms and proceed to charge up energy in his hands. Seth then lunged at Matthew before he could react, and knocked him over. Seth still on top of him, Matthew allowed his entire body to magically become engulfed in flames.

The heat being too intense for him to bear, Seth backed away from Matthew, only to crash into Hespera. However, she did not manage to deflect him like before.

Seth then realized he was standing next to the closet that the others were presumably still trapped inside. Without hesitation, he grabbed the door with one claw and ripped the whole thing off of its hinges. He swung the door back at Hespera, then slammed it at Matthew.

Seth looked down and saw the duffel bag still lying on the floor on the closet, the zipper only open partway. He lowed his arm, slung the strap of the bag over it, and hoisted it into the air. From what Seth could tell, the others were still inside.

"Put that down!" exclaimed Matthew, as he blasted Seth with a bolt of energy. The force of the blast knocked Seth back a few feet, causing him to loose his footing and fall over onto his front end in the living room.

"That was supposed to turn you into a toad!" snarled Matthew, as he fired another bolt towards Seth. However, Seth mustered up the strength to leap away from it.

Not knowing what his chances were against two powerful magicians, Seth darted towards the window and leaped out of it. He knew that Matthew and Hesepra could easily follow him, but Seth didn't care. He had to at least try and get away.

Now out in the rain again, Seth weaved between many high-rise buildings, hoping that he would lose Matthew and Hespera, had they made an effort to follow him. But right now, Seth just needed a place to hide more than anything. He'd gladly go back to the stairwell, if only he had any idea where it was.

After flying for a few minutes, Seth came to the conclusion that if Matthew and Hesepra had been following, they lost track of him by now. He then flew upwards towards the rooftop of another building, and landed next to the stairwell. Placing his hand on the doorknob, Seth was relieved to see this one was also unlocked, and entered the stairwell.

As the door closed behind him, Seth let out a sigh of relief and sat down on the floor. He felt safe, but for all he knew, Matthew or Hespera could suddenly come marching through the door at any moment.

Seth placed the bag down on the floor in front of him, and pulled open the zipper. Looking down inside of the bag, Seth could see his friends and family still trapped in the orbs. From what he could tell, they were all terrified.

"Seth?" asked Mrs. Sorenson. "Is that you?"

"Yeah..." replied Seth. "We're safe now. How'd you-"

"Umbriel told us," said Bright. "She said that found a dragon potion, and disappeared-"

"Umbriel!" gasped Seth. "I forgot about Umbriel! She's back at Matthew's! She... turned into an imp when I returned."

"No!" cried Kendra. "How?"

"She was inside overnight for too long," said Grandpa. "Unlike fairy angels, guardians are still susceptible to the transformation. And it's possible that your dark essence accelerated it."

"About your... transformation" said Grandma.

"Look, I can explain!" cried Seth. "Or at least, I can try. I only drank the dragon potion because I didn't know what else to do!"

"We understand," said Grandpa. "You were desperate."

"But what I don't get, is, why I went to the netherworld."

"You... can't be serious," said Warren. "Only deceased demons ever go there."

Seth proceeded to explain his misadventure into the netherworld to everyone, and how he parted ways from Zavarok, only to wind up at the mercy of Mahkenchodee, before he suddenly returned to this world.

"Hmm," said Grandpa. "I suspect that you got pulled into the netherworld due to your connection with Zavarok. The combination of you being a shadow charmer, along with a monster, with a dying demon clinging onto you, may have unintentionally pulled you through. Or at least, that's what I figure."

Well, how'd I get back?" asked Seth.

"Probably because you parted from Zavarok. With him no longer around, the forces of the netherworld didn't want a living being like yourself just floating around, so they spat you out, but at a different point from which you entered, since you had moved around a bit. Of course, nobody's certain as to how the netherworld operates, so this is purely speculation on my part."

"So, what do we do now? Matthew and Hespera want to rescue Navarog somehow and use him to help overthrow the fairy realm!"

"As if we don't already have enough problems on our plate," said Grandpa.

"You can start by getting us out of these stupid orbs," said Warren. "If the fairies are free, they can use their magic."

"I hope I can do that," said Seth. "Last time I needed Zavarok's help."

"Right now," said Grandpa, "I suggest you take us to visit Trask. He too has an apartment somewhere here in Manhattan. Don't worry, I have his address stored in my cell phone."

"With any luck, we'll be able to get more support from the other Knights of the Dawn," said Grandma. "It's a miracle that we've survived so far, but I have a feeling things aren't going to be any easier for us."


	21. Problems in the Night

**Chapter 21: Problems in the Night**

Grandpa proceeded to search his cell phone in hope of finding Trask's contact information.

"Found it," he said excitedly. "I can tell you where to go from here, Seth."

Seth looked down at the others, all of whom were confined to their orbs. "Uh, how should I go about doing this? I'm still a dragon. I can't just show up at Trask's front door and expect a warm welcome!"

"He's got a point," said Grandma. "If only we could make calls on our shrunken phones, we could just talk to him that way."

"This isn't like when we were rats," said Lance. "Seth can still speak English. What's to stop him from using another phone?"

"I could try using a pay phone," said Seth, "but I don't have any money on me."

"We made our way into a building just to use a computer last time," said David. "And we're technically already inside of one."

"Might as well just use a phone in here somewhere," said Seth.

Seth picked up the duffel bag and made his way down the flight of stairs. It felt a bit awkward walking down the stairs with the body and feet of a dragon, but Seth managed to get down to the next floor, then passed through a door.

Seth was now in a carpeted hallway with several doors to be found on each wall. He grasped the nearest doorknob and twisted it, only to learn that it was locked. Guessing that all the other doors were likely locked as well, Seth ripped the doorknob right out of the door, busting the lock open in the process.

Seth opened the door and entered the small, empty office. Much like the other office, this one bore little more than a desk, shelf, swivel chair and a few appliances. Seth picked up the receiver of the phone on the desk and placed it up to his head. "Okay, what's the number?"

Grandpa read the phone number to Seth, who proceeded to dial it. It rang about six times, before someone picked up on the other end.

"Who is this?" asked Trask, who sounded as though he was still half asleep.

"Trask, it's me, Seth Sorenson."

"Sorenson?" asked Trask groggily. "What?"

"You've got to help me! Fablehaven's been destroyed! The others have been shrunk!"

"What?" gasped Trask, who suddenly sounded far more alert.

Seth proceeded to tell Trask about how he and his group had been captured and shrunk, and how he was now currently a dragon.

"I find this a little hard to swallow," said Trask. "How do I know this isn't some elaborate prank that the Society is conducting?"

"Is there anything I could say to prove it?"

"You say you're with your family and friends?" asked Trask. "Then tell me. On what part of my body do I have a scar? You can discuss this with the others if you like."

Seth relayed the question to the others.

"The fourth toe on his left foot," said Warren. "It's a fact he shares with trusted Knights of the Dawn."

Seth gave Trask Warren's answer.

"Okay. And who're my three favorite cartoon characters?"

Seth lowered the receiver into the bag as he repeated the question.

"Daffy Duck," said Warren, "Homer Simpson and ALF, who's not really a cartoon character, although he did have two animated series if you want to count those."

"Thank you Warren," said Trask. "I believe that you're serious. Yes. All right, come down to my building and meet me. Where are you, anyway?"

"I don't know," replied Seth. "Just some building in Manhattan. But as a dragon, I can get around fairly quickly."

"In that case, take a moment to figure out where you are, then meet me in the lobby of my building in twenty minutes. Okay?"

"All right," said Seth. "See you then."

Seth hung up the phone and made his way out though the building, then back up to the roof.

"According to my phone," said Warren, you want to go... that way!"

Seth looked in the direction where Warren was pointing. He then proceeded to run towards the edge of the roof and flew off. As Seth flew through the city, he looked down into the open bag at Warren, who was still pointing in a particular direction. No doubt Warren's phone had some sort of map of the city installed on it.

Before long, Seth arrived at a certain building, where he flew down to the front door. As it was the dead of night, he didn't attract any attention at street level, even though most people could not see him as a dragon. Seth opened the door and was now in a small room where one either needed a key to enter, or could buzz in to a tenant.

Through the locked door, Seth could see Trask approaching him. A worried look was written all over his face. Holding a crossbow in one hand, Trask slowly opened the door with the other.

"Seth?" asked Trask, still hiding behind his side of the door. "I don't believe it. Are you for real?"

"I am," said Seth. Even though Trask had not pointed his crossbow at him, Seth placed the bag on the floor and held his claws in the air.

Trask opened the door all the way, and took a good look at Seth. "So the others are all in that bag?"

Seth nodded, prompting Trask to look down into the open bag and see the others for his own eyes. He let out a long sigh. "I can see we have a lot on our hands. Follow me, Seth."

Seth picked up the bag, then followed Trask through the lobby and into an elevator. As they rode up, Seth noticed that Trask couldn't help but stare at his appearance in awe. Once they reached the sixteenth floor, Trask led Seth down the hall to his door brought him into his apartment.

"Pardon my lukewarm reception," said Trask. "But not only is this predicament critically serious, it's also downright strange. Please, place the bag down in the living room.

Seth did so, and Trask reached his hand into the bag removing all of the orbs one after another.

"How're we going to get them open?" asked Seth.

"You said that these things feed off of light magic and are weakened by darkness, correct?"

"Yeah, but I needed the help of Zavarok just to break out of mine. And... he's gone now."

"Seth, I think I may have something that'll help," said Trask. "Wait right there."

Trask walked over to a cabinet and put on a pair of gloves. He then unlocked the cabinet with a small key that was on his keyring. He opened it up and took out a rough, jagged black crystal of sorts.

"What is that?"

"An fragment of solid dark energy. Pure malice. It could corrupt anyone who makes direct contact with it. If it weren't for these gloves I'm wearing, my mind might fill up with negative thoughts."

"May I ask what you're doing with something so dangerous?"

"After everything that happened at Zzyzx, the Knights of the Dawn seized Coulter's many relics. This fragment was something he used for testing purposes only. As I don't work in magical arts, I haven't much of a use for such a thing. But now may prove differently.

Trask grabbed hold of Bright's orb and gently placed the tip of the fragment upon it. The orb immediately shattered into thousands of pieces, which disappeared. Bright was covering her head with her arms out of fear, even after Trask had removed the fragment.

"Bright!" exclaimed Seth. "Are you all right?"

"I am _exhausted_," said Bright, falling down onto her side. "That stupid orb was continuously sucking away at my power.

"I got just the thing for you," said Trask, placing the dark fragment down on the floor. He went across the other side of the room and opened up another cabinet. This time he removed another crystal of sorts. This one was white and smooth.

"This is a light fragment," Trask said, as he bent down and moved the white crystal towards the dark fragment. As if it were being moved by a negative magnetic pull, the dark fragment slid away from the light one.

Trask then handed the crystal to Bright. As Bright touched the crystal, her body began to glow brilliantly.

"I feel way better," said Bright, as she allowed herself to magically grow back to her full size.

"Now for Clover," said Trask, placing the light fragment down and picking up the dark one. He then used it to shatter Clover's orb, and the free fairy headed towards the light fragment.

Trask continued to free more and more prisoners, until they were all no longer trapped in orbs. However, with the exception of the fairies, who had the power to change their size, everyone else was still small.

"Hey, what about us?" asked Lance.

"Allow us," said Bright. "Raxtus, Geminus, step out of the way. You're too big for the apartment, but we'll do you later."

As the dragons backed off, Bright and Clover used their magic on all of the shrunken humans and Bracken, causing them all to grow back to the proper sizes.

"Thank god," said David. "We're back to normal."

"Well, the rest of you guys are," said Seth. "But what about me?"

"Let us give it a try," said Bright, as she and Clover readied their magic and unleashed it upon Seth. Soon Seth's dragon body was encased in glittering sparkles, but nothing seemed to take effect.

"It's not working!" said Clover. "Something's wrong."

"His bracelet!" said David, removing the accessory from his wrist. "Now that Zavarok's gone, I don't need this anymore."

"Ok," said Seth, sliding the bracelet onto his his wrist. "Let's try this again."

The fairies used their magic upon Seth a second time. Still, nothing seemed to happen."

"Do you feel anything, Seth?" asked Clover, once she and Bright ceased their attempt."

"No. It feels like your magic is completely ineffective, even with this bracelet."

"Seth, you say that it was a potion that made you a dragon?" asked Trask.

"Yeah."

"Well, depending on the strength and potency of this potion, it may take more power than what Bright and Clover have combined to counteract it. The fact that you possibly drank too much may have made the transformation too strong to properly deal with."

"You mean, I'm stuck this way?"

Bright nodded. "We're sorry, but the magic that transformed you is just too powerful for us to deal with."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, Seth," replied Grandpa. "I will contact Tanu and see if he can offer a solution. But we still have far greater problems to deal with for the time being."

Seth looked down at the floor, upon which he was standing with two lizard-like feet instead of a pair of shoes connected to his ankles like he was used to.

"Don't try to feel too upset," said Grandma. "You can still help even as a dragon. In fact, it may even be beneficial to us."

"Look, I'm the one who got everyone into this whole stupid mess," blurted Seth. "Maybe I deserved for this to happen to me!"

"Seth, please," said Kendra. "I know you made a few mistakes, but you're not a bad person because of it..."

"No, I'm a bad dragon because of it."

"I'm serious! Your heart is in the right place. I know it is. Everyone else in this room knows it is. And you know it is."

Kendra placed her arms around Seth and gave him a firm hug. As she did, Seth could feel a flow of warm energy seeping into his body.

"Thank you," said Seth. "I feel better now."

"So where do we go from here?" asked Lance.

"Well, it's highly likely that Matthew and Hespera have moved on from the condominium," said Grandpa. "And besides. Before they arrived at Fablehaven, the rest of us were there awaiting Agad's arrival."

"But if Agad has travelled to Fablehaven and arrived there in our absence, he'll have seen the destruction that was brought to the place," stated Warren.

"So where would Agad be now?" asked Kendra.

"Well, his plane should've landed a few hours ago," said Grandpa. "After that, he was supposed to take a bus up through to Crossroad Pass, where he was to phone me."

"But with your phone not in service, he couldn't do that," said Dale.

"True. But now that I've been restored to my proper size, my phone should be functioning properly again. I'm going to try and reach Agad right now."

Grandpa pulled out his phone and dialled Agad's number. As Grandpa held the phone to his head, there was a lengthy pause. Kendra could imagine that the phone was ringing on the other end, and that Grandpa was waiting for Agad to pick up.

"Agad!" gasped Grandpa. "Oh, thank goodness I was able to reach you!"

Grandpa went on to explain everything that had happened back at Fablehaven.

"So where are you now?" asked Grandpa, awaiting Agad's response.

"Where is he?" asked Trask. Grandpa ignored him and continued listening to Agad. "Maybe you should come here."

Grandpa proceeded to tell Agad that they were currently in Trask's apartment, then wished him goodbye and hung up.

"What's going on?" asked Seth.

"Agad's currently staying at a motel in Crossroad Pass. He says that some of the roads have been closed due to a forest fire, and was advised not to venture towards the vicinity of Fablehaven. When he was unable to contact us, Agad opted to stay at the motel since he was very tired, and planned to continue his investigation in the morning."

"So, what's happening now that you contacted Agad?" asked Warren.

"Agad is taking the next bus to New York City," replied Grandpa. "Once he gets here, he'll take a taxi to this building, and we're going to meet him."

"Couldn't we just fly out to Crossroad pass and meet up with Agad there?" asked Raxtus.

"I want to go back to Fablehaven!" snapped Geminus. "I have to no what happened to Vanessa!"

Raxtus gave Geminus a hug. "I know. I'm already terrified of what could've happened to her. Our baby."

"We understand your concern," said Grandma. "But why waste time and energy running back and forth? Once we meet up with Agad, we'll have access to the secondary set of artifacts. The Oculus can show us where anything is, and the Translocation will help us get around much quicker."

"She does have a point," said Raxtus. "As bad as things are now, waiting for Agad to arrive with the instruments is probably the wisest option."

"But he won't get here for several hours," said Lance. "What'll we do until then?"

"I don't know about you," said David. "But I'm very tired! I've had a really long day!"

The others all agreed in unison.

"I understand your situation fully," said Trask. "But, I only have one bed. Mine. And aside from my couch, I don't have anywhere else for people to sleep."

"Raxtus and I don't even need beds," said Geminus. "Not sure about Seth, though."

"Yes, but that leaves ten humans, two fairies and only one couch," said Trask. "I'm sorry."

Leave that to us," said Clover, as she conjured up a twin-size mattress and pillow on the floor in front of her. She then collapsed onto the mattress.

"Clover!" gasped Warren. "Are you okay?"

"I feel weak. I don't think I can make more!"

"I have a solution," said Bright. "Though you humans might need to take an aspirin in the morning."

Bright unleashed her magic upon all of the humans aside from Trask, causing them to all lie down on the floor feeling very drowsy.

Seth watched as all the humans became very tired, and were soon sound asleep in a matter of mere seconds. He certainly didn't want to be sleeping on the bare floor like the rest of them.

Good night," said Clover, as she and Bright disappeared. Trask then yawned himself and retreated to his bedroom.

Guess that just leaves us," said Raxtus, as he and Geminus settled down in a corner and curled up.

"Uh, guys?" asked Seth. "How am I supposed to fall asleep? I'm not used to being a dragon!"

"Oh look," said Raxtus. "Mr Screw-everything-up wants our help!"

"Because of you, we're in this mess and we don't even know where our daughter is!" cried Geminus.

"Look, I'm trying to help! I rescued you all from Matthew's place, right?"

"After getting us all into trouble in the first place," noted Raxtus.

"Look, I'm sorry!"

"Just leave us alone," said Geminus, "we just want to sleep."

"So do I! Can't you at least give me some advice?"

"Yeah I got some advice you can use," said Raxtus. "Stop doing the wrong thing all the time and think about your actions. Maybe then you won't get into so much unwanted trouble. Now shut up and don't bother us again."

Raxtus and Geminus, now cuddled up in the corner, closed their eyes and turned their heads away from Seth. If they weren't going to help him, he'd just have to make do on his own.

Looking around the room, Seth saw that the mattress that Clover had conjured up was just sitting there, and that nobody was sleeping on it. Seth crept around the people who were sleeping on the floor, then plopped his dragon body onto the mattress, lying down on his backside.

It felt somewhat awkward, being that Seth was a dragon and all. But because he was overly exhausted, despite the situation, Seth soon fell fast asleep.


	22. Auxiliaries

**Chapter 22: Auxiliaries**

Several hours later, Kendra was woken up from her sleep by a hand that had been placed upon her arm, which was shaking her body.

"Wake up, Kendra," said Mr. Sorenson. "Agad has arrived."

Kendra immediately opened her eyes, taking a few seconds for them to adapt to the light. Feeling a little bit groggy, Kendra woke up and saw that most of the others were already awake. Standing towards the front of the room next to Trask, was Agad himself.

"Good morning, all," said Agad, as Kendra got up onto her feet and turned towards him.

"I believe everybody is awake now," said Trask, glancing over at the people in the room.

"Good. We may not have all that much time. Now, I have already been filled in on everything that has happened. We must take action as quickly as we can, and hopefully we'll be able to come out on top."

Agad proceeded to pick up a suitcase and placed it down on the coffee table in the centre of the room. He then opened it up and revealed its contents for everyone to see.

"Are those really the... backup artifacts?" asked Bright, as Agad picked up the duplicate Font of Immortality. Kendra observed it as best she could. It really did resemble the actual artifact.

"I'd recognize that horn anywhere," said Bracken. "But it can't be."

"These artifacts are identical in appearance and function to the originals," said Agad. "Except that they will not work as keys for opening Zzyzx, of course."

"So, do they really work?" asked Clover.

"I hope so. These artifacts have never been used. Let alone tested. "However, I'll need the help of Kendra and the fairies to restore them all."

"Hold on a second," said Grandma. "Should we really be powering up all the artifacts at once? I mean, these artifacts are tools of power that not only we can use, but they could also wrongly be used against us should we lose them."

"Ruth raises a good point," said Agad. "At the moment, the only artifacts that we should consider using are the Occulus, the Translocator and the Sands of Sanctity. The Occulus is good because should we lose it, few can even use it safely. The Translocator is useful, but would be easy for our enemies to use as well. Lastly the Sands of Sanctity would be very helpful, and would not be a significant asset to our enemies. Likewise, we have no use for the Font of Immortality, and the Chronometer is too dangerous."

"It's too bad we don't know how to effectively use the Chronometer," said Seth. "We could just go back in time and stop this whole mess from ever happening."

Warren sighed. "Next time you wish for another Chronometer, wish for an instruction book to go with it."

"We'll just have to make due with the more practical instruments," said Bright.

"I'm ready to charge them," said Kendra, as she gestured for someone to hand an instrument.

"Here you go," said Agad, presenting Kendra with the Occulus. He then presented the Translocator and Sands of Sanctity to Bright and Clover, respectively. "You do these two. It's faster."

As Kendra clutched the Occulus within her hand, she could feel power surging through her body and into the artifact, and could sense as though it was being reactivated.

"I think we did it," said Clover, examining the Sands of Sanctity that was in her hands.

"We might as well get this over with," said Trask. "Kendra, please take a seat."

Kendra sat down on the couch and grasped the Occulus firmly with both of her hands. "So, this thing works just like the original?"

"I would assume so," replied Agad.

"All right, Kendra," said Grandpa. "Focus on Matthew. Try to locate him. Don't worry. Bright, Bracken and Clover are all by your side."

"Okay," said Kendra hesitantly. She was not very fond of using the Occulus since it made her very dizzy. However, she didn't know what other choice that the Knights of the Dawn really had.

Kendra closed her eyes and pictured Matthew in her mind. The image of Matthew himself, while originally just a thought, seemed to become real. He was now sitting in a seat without any imagination on Kendra's behalf. Kendra couldn't just tell where he was, as his surroundings appeared to be blurred.

Kendra concentrated upon not Matthew, but rather the area surrounding him. Concentrating harder than before, Kendra could see the area becoming clearer. He appeared to be inside some sort of large vehicle that he was not driving. Sitting in the seat near Matthew was none other Hespera, now dressed in more sensible clothes than the old robes she had previously been wearing.

As the surrounding area became clearer, Kendra could see that Matthew and Hespera were in fact passengers on airplane, and that they were riding in first class.

Kendra shifted her focus so that she could see outside the plane. It was a large aircraft, and the power of the Occulus enable her to follow it as it soared through the sky. But where was it going?

Still keeping her view fixated on the plane, Kendra backed away from the aircraft, looking down on it from above. As she got higher, the plane appeared to be getting further and further away from her. Before long, Kendra had risen above the sky, and was looking down from space.

From what she could tell, the plane had been flying eastbound over the Atlantic Ocean, roughly halfway across, and was presumably heading towards Europe. If she had to guess, Kendra assumed that it was heading to the United Kingdom.

Kendra opened her eyes and placed the Occulus down on the table before her, allowing her view to shift back to reality.

"I saw them. They're riding on a plane to Europe. United Kingdom, I think."

"The United Kingdom?" asked Grandma. "What could they want there?"

"That's only if Kendra's even sure that they are going there," said Grandpa. "But at least Kendra can track them. That's a good thing. But we still need to hunt them down and stop them once and for all."

"I don't get it," said Seth. "When I was eavesdropping on Matthew and Hespera, they were talking about trying to bring back Navarog and seize the Fairy Kingdom. "Why are they travelling across the world?"

"I don't know," replied Grandpa. "They may just be trying to get far away from us now that we've escaped and are aware of their presence. Remember, they likely have no idea about the secondary set of artifacts, and that we have the means to track them down."

"So let's get this over with already! The sooner the better, before they cause us any more trouble!"

"One step at a time," said Warren. "Right now Matthew and Hespera are on an airplane. Remember the last time we attacked a powerful enemy on a plane? It ended in a horrific accident and innocent people were put in danger."

"So when should we go after them?" asked Kendra.

"I say we at least wait for the plane to land before making any moves. Once Matthew and Hespera are out and about, we can go after them with less at stake."

"In the meantime, we can all make preparations," said Grandpa. "But first, lets have something to eat. I'm famished, and we haven't eaten since yesterday."

"That's our cue," said Bright, as she conjured up a tray of blueberry muffins in her hand. Clover responded by conjuring up a pitcher of orange juice in one hand, and a steaming hot coffee pot in the other

"Those fairies are incredible," said Trask. "Think of the time I'd save if I had one of my own."

"Don't get any ideas..." said Bright.

"Just joking," said Trask, blushing in response.

Once everyone downed their breakfast, Grandpa was ready to announce his plans for everyone.

"All right, everybody. I've decided upon what's going to happen next. "Trask, myself, Ruth, Dale, Scott and Marla will be travelling back to Fablehaven to inspect the place and salvage what we can of it. Bracken will also be accompanying us in case we are in need of his magic."

Grandpa then turned to face the others.

"Warren, you are to lead Kendra, Seth, Bright, Clover, Raxtus and Geminus to the United Kingdom and see if you can fell Matthew and Hespera once they arrive."

"What about Vanessa?" asked Geminus. "I need to know if our baby is safe!"

"I understand how you feel, but your capabilities would serve more useful with Warren's group than back at Fablehaven. We don't know where Vanessa could possibly be, but we'll do our best to search for her."

"The Translocator!" exclaimed Raxtus. "Couldn't Kendra use it to find Vanessa and all the other missing creatures at Fablehaven?"

"Well, theoretically yes," said Grandpa. "But the Translocator puts a strain on Kendra, and it would still take a very long time to find everything. And the Knights need it to find Matthew and Hespera."

"There's no reason I can't look for Vanessa right now at least," said Kendra. "Raxtus and Geminus are my friends, and I want to help them find their missing daughter."

"Oh, could you?" asked Geminus.

Kendra nodded and picked up the Translocator. She began to focus on Vanessa, the small, pink hatchling. Suddenly, the baby dragon came into focus. She appeared to be inside some sort of cave. Looking around the cave, Kendra could see that it looked somewhat familiar. Next thing she saw was none other than Nero.

"Nero!" exclaimed Kendra, once she put the Occulus down. "Vanessa is alive, but she's with Nero!"

"She's alive!" gasped Raxtus. "That's great! Who's Nero?"

"A very greedy cliff troll who lives at Fablehaven," replied Grandpa with a strong frown on his face. "He's very reluctant to help anybody unless they're willing to pay a steep price. Getting Vanessa back from him may prove to be tricky, and he'll most certainly be expecting some reward for _rescuing_ her."

"At least we know she's safe," said Geminus. "But please, do what you can to can to get her back please!"

"Of course we'll get Vanessa back," said Grandma. "Even if we have to massage Nero for a year. Yuck."

"What about us?" asked Lance.

Grandpa shook his head. "I completely forgot about you two. I'm sorry. Now, it's nothing personal, but you two who _involuntarily_ thrown into this whole affair against your free will. You should just go home now. However, because of David's connection to Zavarok, as irrelevant as it may be, it might be best to keep him around at Fablehaven, just in case. Lance, you know David better than any of us, plus you have some experience already. You can stay with him. But you're staying with us at Fablehaven. Neither of you should take a chance against Matthew and Hespera.

"Hold on a second!" cried Seth. "We've got another Translocator now, right? Well, why can't we just go back to the Fairy Kingdom and ask for their assistance? They could use the Omega Star and fix everything right away! It wouldn't be like when you were trying to explain Zavarok to them!"

There was a long pause. "That's brilliant!" exclaimed Kendra. "Surely the fairies would agree to help with that!"

"It's worth a try," said Warren. "Before Matthew and Hespera intervened, one of our goals was trying to get back to the Fairy Kingdom. Now that we can, and now that we have a more plausible threat on our hands, we're much more likely to receive their help."

"What are we waiting for?" asked Clover. "Let's use this Translocator and go back already!"

"Considering that it would solve our problem in a safe and efficient manner," began Grandpa, "I say go for it!"

Bright picked up the Translocator. "I can't wait! Kendra, you come with me. Please?"

"You bet! Why go running around risking our lives now that we have access to the Omega Star?"

"This shouldn't take long," said Bright, as she twisted the Translocator in her hands. "All right, Kendra. Let's do this!"

Kendra gripped the Translocator with her hand, and watched as Bright fantasized about the Fairy Kingdom. After a few seconds had passed, nothing seemed to change. She and Bright were still inside Trask's apartment, surrounded by the others.

"Well?" asked Seth.

"I'm trying," said Bright. "The Translocator isn't doing anything."

"You sure you charged it right?" asked Trask.

"If I didn't, then Kendra should've seeing as how we've both touched it now."

"Maybe it's defective?" asked Grandma.

"I can't imagine why," said Grandpa. "Kendra was able to use the Occulus just fine. And these artifacts allegedly have the same capabilities as the originals, so I don't know what the problem is."

"Let's try something simple," said Warren. "May I have the Translocator, please?"

"I guess," said Bright. "It's not doing anything for us."

Warren clenched the Translocator in his hand and vanished, only to reappear next to the far wall.

"It works," he said. "Let me try something a little more long distance."

Warren twisted the Translocator and disappeared completely. Several seconds later he reappeared back where he had been standing.

"I forgot it's still night in Hawaii. I was hoping for a bit of sun."

"Okay, so it does work," said Seth. "But why couldn't they get to the Fairy Kingdom?"

"I remember back when we reclaimed the original Translocator from Labrador Labyrinth," said Kendra. "We couldn't access the Fairy Kingdom with it, so we had to circumvent our way in through the knapsack."

"That's only because Oblivion had set up that dimensional barrier between this world and the Fairy Realm," said Clover.

"You don't think Matthew or Hespera tried the same thing?" asked Trask.

"But how would they even go about doing that?" asked Bracken. "It was one thing for Oblivion to do, but I don't know how non-fairies could ever accomplish such a feat. It'd be too improbable for them to actually be connected to fairies anyway."

"I have a theory," said Agad. "It's possible that the fairies, when they wished for this second set of artifacts, made the Translocator so that it could not pass through to the Fairy Kingdom as a security measure."

"If that's the case, what are we supposed to do in an emergency? The Fablehaven shrine was destroyed yet again, and the fairies at Wyrmroost are still working on the shrine there."

"Why do these shrines have to take so long to build?" asked Lance.

"Fairy shrines must be erected entirely by fairies, and done so without any use of magic. They need to represent the most sincere and truthful feelings of the fairies who build them. By doing a rush job, the fairies would not be using their hearts, which is where the magic needed to sustain a shrine comes from."

"Think we could slip into the Fairy Kingdom by way of the knapsack?" asked Seth. "It worked last time when there was a barrier."

"I don't know," said Agad. "The Fairy Queen knew about the knapsack entrance, unlike Oblivion."

"It's worth a try," said Bright, grabbing hold of the Translocator and twisting it. "I'll see if I can slip through, then come back."

Bright placed the Translocator down onto the table. She then used her magic to shrink herself down to her diminutive size.

"Why're you doing that?" asked David.

"The passage into the Fairy Kingdom is through a vent in the knapsack," replied Clover. "It's the only way she'll fit."

Bright then placed her hands upon the Translocator and started to concentrate. Nothing happened. "It's not working," she said regrettably.

"It only makes sense," said Agad. "The Fairy Queen doesn't want unauthorized visitors in her realm. Even a fairy like Bright can't get through."

"Mother expects us to use the fairy shrines," noted Bracken. "In her mind, we'd have no need to use the Translocator. She thinks we'd be fine without it, unless there was something crucial going on."

"You know we could use a shrine, if we had access to any that were functioning..." said Clover.

"Hey if this Translocator isn't working, why don't we try using the original?"

"The original Translocator has been hidden away again," replied Agad. "On top of going through the trouble of retrieving it, it might also not allow access to the Fairy Kingdom. I don't know what the Fairy Queen has done to increase security, and I'm not keen on everyone wasting their time seeking out the original when it too might not even work."

"All right," said Grandpa. "So much for resolving this the easy way. I propose that we start making our preparations for our missions. First, we will go shopping and stock up on any tools and supplies we may need. After that, my group will travel to Fablehaven and try to restore what we can of it. Meanwhile, the other group will travel to the United Kingdom, and hopefully they will be able to intercept Matthew and Hespera at some point, putting a stop to their plan

"Wait a second!" snapped Seth. "What about Umbriel? She turned into an imp during her stay at Matthew's apartment. Only, I think that they might've destroyed her, since they did spot her."

"I'd prefer it if we did not return to that place to find out," said Grandpa. "They may have set up a trap for us, knowing that we might return for Umbriel."

"But if she's an imp..." exclaimed Bright.

"I'm sorry, but we can't afford to take the risk. "We will have to not worry about Umbriel for the time being and instead concentrate on the matter at hand."


	23. Sleuth or Dare

**Chapter 23 – Sleuth or Dare**

"I guess this is it," said Mrs. Sorenson, looking back at her children.

"Good luck, you guys," said Bracken, giving Kendra a firm hug.

Kendra hugged him back. "I'm scared. I don't really want to have to do this."

"If nobody stands up to Matthew and Hespera, they may become unstoppable. Please go. For all of us."

"We're going to be extra careful," said Warren. "No playing around. We're going directly after them and taking names."

"First, we'll both go out and pick up any supplies we may need," said Grandpa. "Our group will travel to a shopping centre near Fablehaven, so that we can later travel there without need of the Translocator. The other group will travel to the Knights of the Dawn's private armory to equip themselves with any gear that they should need."

"Anytime you folks are ready," said Grandma.

Kendra and Seth watched as Grandpa twisted the Translocator in his hands. Grandma, Warren, Dale, Mr. and Mrs. Sorenson, Bracken, Trask, Lance and David all huddled around him and stuck a hand out towards the Translocator. Soon there was a flash of light, and the entire group vanished before their eyes.

Several seconds later, Warren reappeared via the Translocator, but had come back alone. "Well, looks like we'll be on our own, now."

"So, where is this armory?" asked Clover.

"I bet it's in some third world country," said Seth. "Where is it, Warren? Iraq? Somalia? Afghanistan?

"Nope. New Jersey."

"What's _New Jersey_?" asked Raxtus. "Something humans wear?"

"It can be. But it's also a place that the Knights of the Dawn keep a secret. "Since I've been there before, we can can just travel right there using the Translocator."

Warren twisted the Translocator, gesturing for everyone else to circle around him and touch it.

"Let's do this," said Kendra, placing her fingers upon one end of the Translocator.

Seth, Bright, Clover, Raxtus and Geminus all touched the Translocator in unison, and were soon pulled in through the artifact's power along with Warren.

The group then reemerged in a small storage room, possibly a basement of sorts, lined with several rows of small shelves.

"It's pitch black down here!" exclaimed Seth, indicating to Kendra that there was no source of light for him to see.

"You can't see in the dark?" asked Raxtus. "Even as a dragon?"

"Well, I can't see a thing either," noted Warren. "But you don't hear me panicking."

"Here you go," said Bright, as she conjured up a glowing sphere of light. It's luminance was strong enough to allow Seth and Warren to see what was in the room.

"I think the light switch is over there," said Warren, making his way over to a doorway and flicking on a switch. The entire room was then lit up.

Seth and Kendra took the time to glance at the shelves. Some were lined with cardboard boxes, while others contained thick books. Interestingly enough, the placed appeared to be well-kept; the place was not filled with dust or cobwebs.

"Here we go," said Warren, hoisting a bazooka over his head. "I found the weapons."

"What is that thing?" asked Clover.

"It's a bazooka. It's for shooting people."

"Don't you humans already have those things called guns for that? And aren't those usually smaller?"

"Yeah, well I like to grab the bull by the horns..."

Clover shrugged. "All right, Warren. I'll store it for you."

Clover then placed her hand on the bazooka and focused. The weapon then disappeared.

"I feel faint," said Clover, as Warren presented a machine gun to the Fairy Angel.

"That better not be another weapon," said Bright.

"Look, we need to be prepared," stated Warren, as he handed the machine gun over to Clover. Despite her best efforts, Clover was unable to do anything with the machine gun.

"It won't work!" exclaimed Clover. "I just don't have the power in me to do it."

Bright crossed her arms and sighed. "I was afraid of this."

"What's going on?" asked Seth.

"These are weapons. And dealing with weapons goes against our code of honor. In short, the more weapons we possess, the weaker our magic becomes."

"Will Clover be okay?" asked Geminus.

"I'm all right," stated Clover. "I just don't think I could store anything else."

"I bet that if Clover got rid of that bazooka, she'd be better," said Bright.

"Well, it'd help to have _one_ weapon," said Warren. "I guess I was getting carried away."

"Well, I can still manage with just the bazooka," said Clover.

"Good," said Bright. "But no more weapons."

"Well, how about a drink?" said Seth. "I know of one called a Molotov cocktail..."

"Seth, don't try to sound clever," said Kendra, interrupting her brother. "I know you'd never actually drink one of those."

"No more weapons," said Warren assuredly. "We'll store the rest of our stuff inside of bags or let Bright hold onto it."

Kendra and Seth watched as Warren grabbed several empty backpacks off of the shelves and proceeded to fill them with gear including rope, sleeping bags, flashlights and tools.

"Why so much stuff?" asked Kendra. "I thought we were just going to track them down and defeat them."

"That may not be as easy as it sounds," said Warren. "We really need to be ready for anything, especially if this whole thing doesn't go as planned."

Before long, three backpacks had been stocked full of supplies and other gear. Bright had also been given several things to hold onto as well, including Vasilis.

"Looks like we're ready to go," said Warren.

"Wait a minute," said Seth. "How come we can just come in here, raid whatever we want, and vamoose?"

"I have clearance to be in here anyway," said Warren. "Besides, checking in to come here takes forever,"

Warren then pulled out the Translocator and used it. The whole group was hurled through space, only to arrive in an alleyway between two buildings somewhere.

"Where... are we?" asked Geminus, coming to her senses.

"Outside of a supermarket," said Warren. "Just gonna pick up a few things before we're off for real."

The others waited in the alleyway as Warren went around the corner and into the store. Several minutes later, he returned holding two bags of groceries.

"We should be good now," said Warren, handing the bags to Bright, who transported them away for safe keeping. "Now, let's head off to Europe once and for all."

As Warren wound up the Translocator and held it out for everyone to grab, Kendra couldn't help but overcome the sinking feeling that was growing in her stomach. Every action they did was taking them one step forward to coming face to face with Matthew and Hespera.

Soon the group travelled through the use of the Translocator again, and suddenly found themselves standing inside a public bathroom.

"What is this place?" asked Raxtus, gazing around in confusion.

"Not so loud," said Warren under his breath. "Others might be here."

Kendra looked around and could see urinals lined up against a wall, and heard a toilet flush. "Uh, why exactly are we in the _men's_ bathroom?"

"Cuz I normally don't use the _women's_ facilities," replied Warren. "Those who can hide somehow, please do."

Bright and Clover shrunk down to their smaller sizes, while Geminus also transformed down into her smaller, fairy form. Raxtus, however, just rendered himself invisible.

A stall opened up, and a man in business attire glanced at Seth, Kendra and Warren. "What's going on here?" asked the man in a British accent. "And what is a girl doing in here?"

"There was a huge line for the ladies' room," quipped Warren. "Please forgive her."

"I see," said the man unenthusiastically, as he walked over to the sink to wash his hands. "I could sworn I heard a _lot_ of noise, but not the door. Then I step out and see just you three."

"Uh, sorry if we startled you," said Seth.

"Well, do you business and be on your way. Most men don't take kindly to having women around when they go to the loo."

The man dried his hands off and proceeded to walk towards the door, only to trip over on Raxtus' tail and fall to his face.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" screamed the man. "I know I hit something!"

"Uh oh," said Raxtus.

"Watch your step," said Warren, signalling for the others to follow him out of the bathroom. Once he got to the doorway, Raxtus shrank down to his fairy form and joined the others.

"Sorry," said Warren. "But I don't know what caused you to fall."

The group then spurted out of the bathroom and were soon standing in the hallway of an airport terminal.

"All right," said Seth. "Where are we?"

"London Heathrow Airport," said Warren. "I've been here before, and I have feeling that this is where Matthew and Hespera are headed."

"I remember this place!" said Kendra. "This is where we stopped over on our way back from Pileus Palace."

"I figured there was a good chance that they might be coming here, and since this is a place I've already visited, I figured it was worth a shot."

"How can we be sure that they will in fact come here?" asked Seth, as the group walked over to some vacant chairs and sat down.

"Just a hunch. This is a major airport and lots of people come here to transfer between flights."

"But how will that help us find them? We still don't know for sure if even are headed this way."

"That's where the Occulus will come into play," said Warren. "Kendra will need to keep an eye on them. But let's get out of this busy hallway first. We already caused enough ruckus with that one guy in the washroom."

"Um, I don't know how others see me as I am now, but a dragon can't just run around in public like this!" exclaimed Seth. "The guy in the bathroom was bad enough, but now everyone's gonna stare at me."

"We can use our magic to give you the illusion of your human form," said Bright. "But people who are either powerful or know the truth will see through it.

"Use it," said Seth. The fairies responded by using their power, but it was impossible for them to tell if anything had changed.

Warren led Kendra and Seth through the terminal, where they arrived at a very fancy-looking restaurant. The tables were made of glass, and all the booths contained plump, black leather seats. When they entered, the head waiter took a good, strong look at the trio, eyeing their appearance rather sternly.

"Table for three?" he asked.

Warren agreed. A waitress then directed them to a table where they were seated and presented a menu to each of them.

"Can I get you three anything to drink?" she asked.

"Just some water for now, please," said Warren, as the waitress walked off.

"Warren, why'd you bring us to a place like _this_? Everything seems so posh and exquisite. I'd have settled for a burger and fries."

"I needed a place for us to go where there wouldn't be too much action. And given that it's past lunch hour in this time zone, I'd figure that an expensive restaurant wouldn't attract too many clients, and that we could sit here in peace.

Seth skimmed through the menu. "Hey, they serve pheasant under glass here! Too bad we already ate not too long ago!"

"Forget about food," said Warren. "We're here to get away from the crowd and let Kendra keep a close watch on Matthew and Hespera."

"I didn't check on them too long ago," said Kendra. "And they're probably still a few hours away from Europe right now."

"Just do a quick check on them right now. See if you can deduce where the plane is headed."

Kendra removed the Occulus from her bag and placed it down on the table. She then placed her hands down upon it.

"Hold it," said Warren. "We're trying to keep a low profile. Hold the Occulus in your lap."

"What if someone sees me?"

"We're still here, you know," said Bright, whose voice was coming from below. Kendra, Seth and Warren all glanced under the table and saw all four of their small fairy friends loitering around.

"If someone tries anything funny, we'll protect you," said Raxtus.

"But still, hold the Occulus in your lap," said Warren. "Either way, the less attention you draw, the better."

Kendra nodded and responded by moving the Occulus onto her lap. She then closed her eyes and envisioned the plane that Matthew and Hespera were riding. Sure enough, the two of them were still on board. When she retracted her view away from the interior of the plane, Kendra could still tell that they were still en route to Europe. Backing away from Earth a fair bit, Kendra could see that the plane was over the Atlantic Ocean, and was more than halfway across between the shores of Canada and Ireland. Kendra could also see that the plane was nearing the longitude of Iceland, which was more to the north.

Kendra then released her grasp on the Occulus and opened her eyes.

"You okay?" asked Seth.

"Yeah."

Warren pulled out a map of the Atlantic Ocean and presented Kendra with a pen. "Can you try to pinpoint where exactly the plane was?"

Kendra accepted the pen and drew an X where she recalled the plane had been. According to the map, the plane was at roughly 51 degrees north latitude, 24 degrees west.

"I'd say they're due to arrive here in about two hours or so," said Warren. "That is, of course, if they're even coming here."

Soon a waitress arrived and placed a plate of thick onion rings down on the table.

"I ordered something while you were busy," said Seth, picking up one of the onion rings. "Hey, they didn't give me any ketchup!"

At that moment, a bottle of ketchup magically materialized on the table.

"Cool!" exclaimed Seth.

"You're welcome..." said Bright impatiently.

"I'd rather you four would conserve your power," said Warren, trying not to speak too loudly.

Kendra placed the Occulus down on the table and looked around warily, then let out a sigh of relief. "Well, now what do we do?"

Warren clenched his fingers together. "I think our best option is to just wait out their arrival, keeping an eye on them periodically."

"If only there was a way to tell which plane they were on," said Seth. "I mean, the Occulus can't pick up sound, so it's not like Kendra can listen in on the passengers, the pilots _or_ their radio. And as far as we're concerned, without any way to tell, a plane is just a plane."

The three humans rested their hands down on the table in silence. There wasn't much they could do but wait.

"Seth, that's it!" said Warren suddenly. "Airplanes have registration numbers printed right on them, for identification printed on them. They're like the equivalent of license plates!"

Kendra's face lit up. "So you're saying, that if I use the Occulus again and inspect the plane more thoroughly, I should be able to find a number I can use?"

Warren grinned. "Right. And if we know the number, we can ask a clerk if they can do a cross-reference to find out where that plane is going! Kendra, I ask that you use the Occulus again, just to see if you can spot that number. It's probably underneath a wing or on the fuselage near the tail"

"Okay," said Kendra, picking up the Occulus and closing her eyes. As she wasn't too familiar with the plane itself, she had to picture Matthew and Hespera, sitting on their seats on-board the plane. It didn't take long as their image shifted from Kendra's imagination to being a solid sight in her mind.

Kendra focused away from the interior of the plane, and was now looking at the plane from a distance, as it continuously soared through the sky. Warren had said something about the number either being underneath the wing or on the fuselage.

Kendra allowed her view to shift underneath the right wing of the plane, but saw nothing. She then shifted to the left wing, but it too was blank. Next, Kendra shifted her view to the fuselage, and sure enough, there was a number printed on it, large enough to be seen from a distance. Or rather a code, since the _number_ contained a few letters. Staring at the number for a few seconds, Kendra concentrated on remembering it in her head.

Kendra then let go of the Occulus, returning her view to the inside of the restaurant. "I got it! Anyone got paper? Quick!"

Warren slid a notepad and a pen across the table to Kendra. "Don't worry, we're ready."

Kendra grabbed the pen and jotted down the number. "That's it, I'm positive."

"Great!" exclaimed Warren. "I'll go to the front desk right now and see if they can identify this plane. I want you two to please stay here until I return. This airport is a huge place and I don't want to lose track of you. Clover, I'd like you to come with me in case I need your assistance."

Clover flew out from underneath the table and landed upon Warren's shoulder. She then vanished from sight; she had presumably rendered herself invisible.

"I'll try not to be gone too long. Hopefully nothing drastic will happen then."

Warren got up from the table and darted out of the restaurant.

"Now what do we get to do?" asked Seth. "Eating onion rings can keep me happy for only so long."

Before long, the head waiter stepped up to the table, a perturbed look was gleaming in his eyes.

"Excuse me, but would you mind telling me where that man you were with ran off to?"

"Oh..." said Kendra, "he, he just went off to find somebody."

"Well, it's against our policy for customers to leave without paying."

Seth sighed. "What if we pay you? I mean, all I ordered were these onion rings."

"If that's all you're having, your bill comes to four pounds plus tax and gratuity. How would you like to pay?"

"Pounds asked Seth, feeling his wallet. "I don't even have any American money on me."

"Me neither," said Kendra, who received a dirty look from the head waiter.

"This whole thing seems suspicious," said the waiter. "That man abandoning you without money. I'm afraid I'm going to have to call airport security."

"No!" said Kendra. "That won't be necessary."

"I'm not blaming you children, you're only minors," said the head waiter, removing a smart phone from his pocket. "But I'm afraid that security will have to seize that man."

At that moment, a rainbow of sparkles shot out from underneath the table and wrapped around the head waiter, before vanishing in a vibrant flash. The waiter then lowered the phone from his face, and appeared to be in a stupor of sorts.

"Sir, are you okay?" asked Kendra.

"I am fine," replied the waiter in a rather monotonous voice.

"Great," said Seth wearily. "Would you just leave us alone?"

"Sure," said the waiter. "I will leave you alone."

The waiter then walked off, as if he no longer had any concern over what Seth and Kendra were up to.


	24. Catch Them If You Can

**Chapter 24 – Catch Them If You Can**

Several more minutes had passed since the incident with the waiter. Seth and Kendra were still seated at the table, something which would not be possible had the fairies not intervened upon the perturbed waiter. There wasn't much for them to do, as Warren had instructed them to wait until he returned, nor did they wish to risk going out to explore and getting lost.

At long last, Warren darted back into the restaurant, carrying a piece of paper in his hand.

"I got it," said Warren, as he sat back down at the table. "They're on a plane headed..."

"Where?" asked Seth anxiously.

"This very airport! I got their arrival time, what gate they'll be at and everything. With a little help from Clover."

"So, we can just take it easy until that point?" asked Kendra.

"Well, yes. But I'm in no mood to relax. Were you guys all right while I was gone?"

Seth and Kendra proceeded to tell Warren about their experience with the waiter.

"You think anything will come of that?" asked Kendra.

"Nah. Fairy magic can trick people fairly easily, so long as their susceptible. But it's not something you want to do too constantly, or they might start to realize that's something amiss."

"Anyway," said Seth, "if Matthew and Hespera are coming here, where are they going to go next?"

Warren shrugged. "No idea. All I had to go by was the number of the plane that they're currently on. Where they're going once they get here is anybody's guess. Anyway, we've done what we can for now, short of flying out to the plane ourselves and ambushing the two. My only suggestion would be to keep an update on their plane's position and spy on them once they enter the airport."

For the remainder of the wait, the group remained at the table, ordering nothing more than the occasional beverage. The head waiter never returned to their table, but he did resume his position at the entrance to the restaurant, greeting new patrons as they entered.

Around five minute before Matthew and Hespera's plane was scheduled to arrive, Kendra began using the Occulus to spy on them. Once she spotted them, Kendra changed her focus to the exterior of the plane, and could see it lowering from the clouds down towards the city of London. She watched as the plane's landing gear came out, and soon the wheel made impact with the runway. The plane continued along the runway, before it slowed down and ultimately came to a halt.

"Okay, they landed," said Kendra, opening her eyes.

"All right, we've got to get to their terminal and try to spot them without getting spotted ourselves."

Warren got up from the table and dropped a fifty pound note, then signalled for Seth and Kendra to follow him. Before Kendra got up, she opened up her bag, prompting the fairies to leap inside from underneath the table.

Seth and Kendra followed Warren out of the restaurant, receiving a pleasant farewell from the waiter in the process. Warren lead them through the airport, until they finally arrived at waiting room of a terminal, which was filled with rows upon rows of seats, where numerous people were waiting.

"Matthew and Hespera's plane is supposed to be entering through that gate way down there," said Warren, pointing to a far end of the terminal. "Any minute now."

Warren, Kendra and Seth managed to find three seats all next to each other and sat down.

"I can't quite see the doorway they'll be coming through from this position," said Warren. "But we can't risk getting to close."

Kendra pulled out the Occulus and cupped it in her hands, hoping to not draw attention from other people. She hated the idea of using an artifact out in the open, but from what she could tell, no one had any idea what she was doing; most likely they just assumed she was nodding off with a glass ball in her hands.

Using the Occulus, Kendra focused on Matthew and Hespera. They had already gotten off the plane with the other passengers, and were walking through the jet bridge towards the terminal. Once they entered the terminal, Kendra could see that they were indeed inside the very same room, separated only by distance and rows upon rows of occupied chairs.

Kendra returned to her proper vision again, and turned around to where she had seen Matthew and Hespera through the Occulus. "They're here," she said, her heart racing powerfully.

"What are we supposed to do now?" asked Seth.

"I can't just get the jump on them here," said Warren. "Too many civilians. We're just gonna hafta follow them until they're alone."

"We could try our magic on them," said Bright, who was floating around invisibly near the three knights.

"At this point I don't care what it takes," said Warren. "We can't let those two win."

Although they could not see the fairies, Seth and Kendra watched as Bright, Clover, Geminus and Raxtus all floated down the terminal where Matthew and Hespera where walking around.

"I see them!" said Warren, looking between the gaps of people that kept forming and vanishing as they walked around. "Let's hope they don't see us."

"We can't reach them!" said Geminus, who had made a sudden return, along with the other fairies.

"What do you mean?" asked Seth. "Why not?"

"As we got closer, there was some kind of force that kept us from getting closer."

"You mean, like a distractor spell?" asked Kendra.

"Exactly," said Raxtus. "Only, it's designed to work on magical creatures and not mortals. They've placed this spell on themselves just in case we figured out what they're up to and tracked them down somehow."

"Which is exactly what we did," said Warren, who sighed. "Kinda wish we were dealing with amateurs."

"If we can't get near them, what are we supposed to do?" asked Clover. "We can't even use our magic on them from a distance."

The group proceeded to follow Matthew and Hespera through the crowd without getting spotted.

"I have an idea," said Seth. "What if the fairies made one of our weapons invisible? That way, Warren could shoot them without anyone seeing anything in his hands?"

"Because then the invisible projectile would be enchanted by magic, something that the barrier is likely to repel."

"There's people _everywhere_!" groaned Warren. "I'll never get a clear shot at even one of them without giving us away."

The group followed Matthew and Hespera through the airport, before arriving at another gate, where the two wicked magicians sat down.

"What are they doing now?" asked Seth.

"They're transferring to another plane," said Warren. "But to where exactly I have no idea."

"Any ideas how we can attack them now?" asked Kendra. "Since they're not going anywhere."

"Well, I'm a non-fairy dragon," said Seth, "in case anyone forgot. I could take on Matthew and Hespera. And since other people see me as a human-"

"Which is an enchantment of fairy magic," said Bright.

"So, if you removed the enchantment, would it work?"

"You'd cause too much commotion if people saw some animal running around," said Warren. "At this point, we're best if we just follow them around until we're no longer in a public place like this."

They waited around for roughly twenty minutes, until Matthew and Hespera lined up to enter a gate. After they passed through, the group followed behind until all the other passengers had boarded.

"Excuse me," said Warren, pointing to the gate, "but the people who just went through that door, what flight are they getting on?"

"They're on the 2:35 flight to Cairo," said the steward.

Warren bit down on his lip. "Oh really? Thanks."

Warren then lead the group over towards a corner.

"Egypt?" asked Seth. "So like, pyramids and mummies and all that?"

"Yes, Seth," said Kendra sarcastically. "That's all Egypt is known for."

"I don't like where this is going," said Seth. "We're just gonna have to follow them on Raxtus. No way we're getting a ticket on that flight."

"Great," muttered Kendra. "More chasing them down."

"Guys, you're forgetting what we've got," said Warren. "The Translocator, along with someone's who's travelled to Egypt in the past."

"You mean?" asked Seth.

"I'm gonna get some more information about this next flight that they're going on," said Warren. "Wait here, this shouldn't take long."

Warren walked over to the steward and briefly spoke to him, then returned to Seth and Kendra.

"Lucky for me I've already been to the airport they're going to. And I know when their flight's going to arrive.

"So, what are we waiting around here for?" asked Seth.

"Let's find a quiet space first," said Warren. "Better not let anyone see us disappear in case the commotion reaches Matthew and Hespera somehow."

Warren lead the group down a hallway, until the reached the entrance to the terminal. Once they were outside, they made their way to a large parking garage.

"Where are we going?" asked Seth.

"Someplace that isn't filled with so many people," replied Warren, as they entered the garage. There's barely anyone in here, and lots of cars we can hide behind.

As they walked through the garage, Warren hid between front of a parked minivan and a wall. He then pulled the Translocator out from his bag and twisted it.

"This is it," said Warren. "We've got the fastest ride out of this airport right here."

Their hearts racing and full of excitement, Kendra, Seth and the fairies all placed their hands upon the Translocator, and allowed themselves to be pulled in. They then reemerged inside of what appeared to be a hotel room.

"Uh, what is this place?" asked Kendra, looking around the well-furnished room.

"Are we there yet?" asked Seth, a confused look showing on his face.

"It's been a while," said Warren with a smile. "This is a hotel room I once stayed in when I travelled to Egypt a few years ago. I couldn't envision the airport washroom in my mind. Sorry."

Looking around the room, Kendra and Seth could see a suitcase resting on the floor, and several personal items scattered atop the dresser and night stand.

"Looks like this room's already occupied," said Kendra.

"I'm not surprised," said Warren. "But I figured it would be safe enough, given that it was the middle of the day, and the people in this room have likely gone out for the day. Besides, the fairies could've dealt with anybody if they actually were here now."

The group made their way out of the room and headed down the hallway towards the elevators. They boarded one and travelled down to the first floor, then left the rather lavish hotel. Once they stepped outside, the intense heat of the Egyptian sun took them by surprise.

"Where do we go from here?" asked Seth, looking up and down the busy the city street. "I'm glad people are just seeing me as a human, or things might be getting ugly."

"We need to get to the airport," said Warren.

"Well, I'm a dragon," said Seth. "I could just fly us there."

"Why waste time flying around?" asked Warren, as he stepped up to a taxi, opened the back door and entered, prompting Kendra and Seth to follow him.

The cabbie looked back at the passengers through the rear-view mirror. "Where to?"

"Cairo International Airport," said Warren.

The taxi proceeded to drive through the streets of Cairo for several minutes, before arriving at the main entrance of the Cairo International Airport. Warren paid the fare, and the group got out of the cab. They then ventured inside and soon found several seats in which they were able to down.

"Well, looks like we got a few more hours until their plane arrives," said Warren, glancing at his watch.

"More waiting?" asked Kendra. "This is taking forever."

"How many stupid flights are these people even taking?" asked Seth.

Warren shrugged. "Hopefully not too many more. When you travel around the world by plane, you need to allot yourself a good day or so. They've probably been travelling less than ten hours so far today."

"Well, do you think they're going to be stopping in Egypt?" asked Kendra, "Or just transferring to another plane?"

"If I had to guess, this'll be their last flight.," said Warren. "Can't see why they'd have to change flights here. But you never know if they're going to be taking further transport, like a bus or train."

"Look, if those two are so magical, why are they taking plane rides?" asked Seth. "Can't they just use magic to float around, or transform into winged animals?"

"Because that would require either an excessive amount of magic, or it would tire them out greatly. Raxtus and Geminus aren't humans posing as dragons, so they have more endurance for this sort of thing."

Kendra removed the Occulus from her bag and used it to locate both Matthew and Hespera once again. Surely enough, once the two came into focus, she could tell that they were again seated on a airplane, different than the one from before.

Drawing her focus away from Matthew and Hespera, Kendra backed her mind out from the airplane, until she was looking down on the plane from above, as it soared amongst the clouds. She zoomed up, away from the plane, until she was high above the sky, looking down at the Earth. As Kendra moved away from the plane, she could see it had just left Great Britain, and was flying southeast.

"From what I can tell, they're headed this way," said Kendra, as she released her hold on the Occulus. "But they've still got a long way to go."

"We've got several hours to kill," said Warren. "Is there anything you guys would like to do?"

Seth looked down at the floor and took a deep breath as he swung his legs around. "Only a few hours until we're destined to risk it all? No thanks, I'm not in the mood to do anything.

Kendra nodded, then leaned back in chair. Her heart was pounding with all the impending doom that had been building up within her. She was in too much of an uncomfortable mood to care about anything.

For the next several hours, Kendra, Seth and Warren sat in their chairs, nervously awaiting the arrival of the plane, getting up only to use the washroom, or to grab a drink. Once it was time, Warren alerted the others when Matthew and Hespera's plane was scheduled to arrive.

"Kendra, do you see where they are?" asked Seth, as he and Warren turned to face his sister.

I see them, " said Kendra, holding onto the Occulus with her eyes closed. "They're getting off the plane with the other passengers, and they coming into this very airport."

"Keep watching," said Warren. "The Occulus is the best way to keep an eye on them, as we don't risk getting spotted ourselves.

Several more minutes passed, as Kendra spied on Matthew and Hespera. She watched as the two picked up their luggage from the baggage claim, and continued to follow as they walked towards an exit.

"They're on their way out," said Kendra, returning her focus to the real world. "They're heading for the drop-off entrance."

Kendra, Seth and Warren all got up and made their way through the airport towards the exit that Kendra had seen through the Occulus. It took them no more than two minutes before they were approaching the doors that she had just seen Matthew and Hespera walking towards.

"I see them!" exclaimed Seth, pointing towards the doors. They're outside, standing around on the sidewalk.

The group stopped dead in their path. "You're right," said Warren, who looked through the sliding glass doors roughly thirty or so feet in front of them. "They're getting into a taxi."

"How're we going to follow them?" asked Seth.

"I'm not too keen on trailing them in a second taxi," said Warren. "We might unintentionally draw their attention if we do so. Better we follow them from the air now. Kendra can keep track of them using the Occulus."

The group crept up to the doors, arriving at them just after the taxi that Matthew and Hespera were riding in drove off.

"I don't think they noticed us," said Seth.

"Let's get out of here," said Warren, as they walked along an outdoor pathway. Several minutes later, they were back on a city street. Warren led the group into an alleyway.

"I don't think there's anyone around now," said Warren. "Fairies. Dragons. You can reveal yourselves."

Bright and Clover regained the visibility, and shot up to their full sizes. Likewise, the two fairy dragons returned to their normals selves.

"Finally!" sighed Bright. "I hate having to hide away from humans like that for such a long time! Uggh!"

"I'm sorry," said Warren. "But this was something we had to do. "Hopefully there won't be much more of this."

"We could've just disguised ourselves as normal humans," said Clover.

"I know," said Warren. "But the less attention we draw, the better. Airport officials aren't exactly keen on people sneaking into their countries."

"So, where do we go on here?" asked Kendra.

"This is where Raxtus and Geminus come in. We're going to fly around and use the Occulus to follow Matthew and Hespera, wherever they may be going."


	25. Deserted

**Chapter 25: Deserted**

Hidden from the rest of the city within the back alley, Kendra climbed up onto Raxtus' back. Likewise, Warren mounted himself upon Geminus' back.

"Hey, what about me?" asked Seth, who was still trapped in the body of a dragon.

"Well, you can fly now, can't you?" retorted Raxtus.

"Yeah, well that's not to say I'm very good at it. You real dragons are better at it."

"Technically, I was once a fairy," noted Geminus. "Of course, even then I had wings."

"This isn't the time for technicalities," said Raxtus. "Seth, you just keep near us. We won't be going too fast."

Raxtus and Geminus proceeded to flap their wings and had soon lifted their bodies off the ground. Seth copied their movements as best he could, but had trouble keeping a perfect balance once his feet were off the ground.

"Looks like somebody could use training wings," Raxtus said to Geminus, as the three dragons rose up behind the buildings that were in front of them.

The dragons continued flapping, and rose higher and higher into the air, leaving them all further and further away from the ground.

"Okay, Kendra," said Warren. "It's time for the Translocator again."

"Right," said Kendra, pulling the artifact out from her bag and clenching it in her hands. Everyone else watched as Kendra closed her eyes and used the Occulus for a good moment.

"I see them," said Kendra, her eyes still closed. "The taxi they're in is going... that way!"

The dragons began to fly off in the direction that Kendra way pointing. Raxtus and Geminus took the lead, while Seth struggled to maintain last place.

"Not so fast," said Seth.

"You wanted to be a dragon?" asked Raxtus. "Learn to fly like one."

Although Seth struggled, he ultimately managed to keep up with the others. After flying around at a moderate speed for several minutes, the city limits of Cairo were soon directly beneath them.

"Hold it!" exclaimed Kendra. "The taxi seems to have pulled over."

"Are they getting out?" asked Warren.

"I don't know, the car just seems to have stopped. I think I'll take a closer look."

Kendra, who was looking down on the taxi from above via the Occulus allowed her view to shift to the inside of the vehicle. Although she was unable to hear any sound, Kendra could see that that Matthew and Hespera were both arguing with the cabbie.

"They seem to be yelling at the cabbie about something," noted Kendra. "But what?"

"Well, I think this is the edge of the city," said Warren. "And I bet that the taxi isn't allowed to leave the city."

"So what's arguing going to accomplish?" asked Seth.

"Oh no!" gasped Kendra. From what she could see, Hespera snapped her fingers, causing the driver's door to swing open. She then snapped her fingers a second time, which resulted in the driver's seat belt unbuckling on its own. A third snap caused the cabbie to go flying out of the car and crash against the far side of the road.

"Sounds like they're stealing the taxi," said Warren.

"Now what're they doing?" asked Kendra. She watched as Matthew and Hespera stepped out of the back seat and over to where the cabbie was lying on the road. Matthew then rubbed his hands together and shot a blast of magic at the cabbie, transforming him into a chimpanzee. The two then laughed and Matthew entered the front seat of the taxi, while Hespera got in the passenger seat, and they proceeded to drive off into the desert.

"Those two don't know when to quit!" yelled Seth.

"What about the cabbie?" asked Kendra.

"Leave him to us," said Bright, appearing in the air alongside Clover. The two fairies held hands together, then held their free hands forward. A rainbow then formed together from out of their palms, arcing down towards the ground.

Kendra followed the end of the rainbow through the Occulus, and watched as the colorful light hit the chimpanzee, restoring him to his human self, before if abruptly faded away.

"He should be okay," said Clover, as the dragons continued to fly off after the taxi. "Though I don't know what we can do about the taxi."

"We can't worry about that," said Warren. "Besides if you try using magic, their shield will repel it."

"Wait a minute," said Seth. "What about your weapons? Surely you can blast them with something now that there's nobody else around?"

"That won't work. We can't get near them because of the barrier, so I won't have a clear shot at them. And I don't want to risk getting their attention because of a badly aimed shot."

"I know," said Raxtus. "What if we fly ahead of the car, find a place where Warren can snipe it without getting caught and drop him off so he can take them by surprise as they pass?"

"It's worth a try," said Warren. "Full speed ahead, dragons!"

Raxtus and Geminus spurted ahead, only for Raxtus to make a sudden u-turn. He then grabbed Seth by his tail and proceeded to tow him backwards along across the sky.

"Uh, thanks," said Seth, feeling somewhat useless.

The dragons soared high across the desert, before eventually descending down towards to ground. Eventually, they discovered a small incline just to the side of the ride, which they landed on top of. The top of the incline was roughly fifteen feet above the rest of the ground.

"So the plan is, I hide out on top of the incline, and snipe out Matthew and Hespera with my bazooka once I get a clear shot," said Warren. "The rest of you keep your distance."

Bright conjured up the bazooka in Warren's hands, then backed off.

"Okay," said Warren. "They should be coming around soon. Everyone, stand back and wish me luck.

Kendra, Seth and the others all backed away from the top of the incline, away from the road, until they were a good twenty feet away from Warren. While Kendra had access to the Occulus, the others wished that they could see everything from Warren's point of voice.

Kendra used the Occulus to scope out where the taxi was. Sure enough, it was approaching the incline at a steady pace. Looking over at Warren, Kendra could see that he was peering through the cross-hair on the bazooka, getting ready to blast the taxi once it reached him.

Once the taxi was within Warren's range, Warren pulled the trigger on the bazooka. A rocket shot out of the bazooka's barrel, making a beeline towards the approaching vehicle. Before it could hit the car, the rocket suddenly combusted, as if it had hit an invisible wall.

"The rocket," said Kendra, watching as the taxi came to a halt. "Something caused it to fail."

Warren shot another rocket at the parked taxi, but it too blew up in midair, a good ten feet in front of the car.

Matthew and Hespera stepped out of the parked car, and pointed towards the incline. Kendra could only hope that they had failed to notice Warren.

"I think they're on to us," said Kendra nervously. "They saw where the rocket came from."

Drawing her view away from the Occulus, Kendra could see that Warren was writhing his body through the sand, backwards, away from the incline, trying to not get spotted by Matthew and Hespera.

"Guys," muttered Seth in fear, "what are we going to do?"

Bright and Clover appeared, and used their magic to seemingly teleport the group somewhere else.

"Where are we?" asked Kendra, shaking her head to and fro.

"A short distance from where we just were," replied Bright.

"We can see the incline from this spot," said Clover. "If they don't spot us there," maybe they'll just move on."

Kendra peered over towards the incline, and watched as Matthew and Hespera magically floated up to the top of it and looked around. After about a minute, they floated back down to the road and got back into the taxi, then continued down the road.

"Great," said Warren, sounding rather disappointed. "They must've seen the tracks we left in the sand. Now they know someone's after them. God, I never should've tried to shoot them."

"We didn't know that they were so prepared," said Kendra.

"The Society is always prepared," said Warren. "Even when you least suspect it."

"Well, if we can't attack them like this, what _can_ we do?" asked Seth.

"We better continue to follow them," said Warren. "Maybe we can think of something else along the way."

Kendra and Warren mounted themselves back upon Raxtus and Geminus respectively, and the dragons took off, carrying Seth along with them by having Geminus hold his claw. The dragons flew off after the taxi, which continued further down the road into the desert.

After close to half an hour, the taxi suddenly made a sharp turn off of the road, and began plowing across the sand at a high speed.

"Where do they think they're going?" asked Seth.

"Somewhere without a driveway," replied Warren. "And knowing them, they're probably going to be the first visitors in a long time."

The taxi continued across the desert, until a pyramid suddenly came into view.

"Is that a pyramid?" asked Raxtus, as the triangular structure slowly drew nearer.

"Yeah," replied Kendra in awe. "I've never actually seen one in person until now."

"What pyramid?" asked Seth. "I don't see anything!"

"You don't see it?" asked Geminus.

"I think I'd notice something like a _pyramid_ among the rest of this boring desert," said Seth.

"I don't see it either," said Warren.

"It must be a distractor spell," said Kendra.

After flying a bit further, Seth could suddenly see the pyramid that they were nearing. How could he have missed it?

"Now I see it!" said Seth, who could could see the pyramid. Strangely, there appeared to be a massive black gemstone protruding from the topmost point.

"We must be past the barrier," said Warren. "I can see it too."

"I thought the pyramids were cultural landmarks," said Kendra. "If there's a distractor spell around this one, wouldn't somebody realize that nobody can find it?"

"Perhaps nobody ever did find it," said Warren, as the dragons soared down towards the ground, just as the taxi came to a halt not too far from the pyramid. "I've never heard of a pyramid with a huge gem stuck on top of it."

Once the dragons landed on the ground, they made sure to stop behind a sand dune, just to ensure they wouldn't be in plain sight from Matthew and Hespera.

Peering over the sand dune, Kendra and Seth looked up at the pyramid. From the ground, the pyramid looked to be massive, It was as wide as a stadium, while the topmost point, where the base of the gemstone was situated, was about as high as a twenty-story building.

Everyone then gazed over towards Matthew and Hespera, who had gotten out of the taxi and were now approaching the pyramid on foot.

"What pyramid is this?" asked Kendra.

"I don't know," said Warren, doing some research on a tablet device. "This pyramid isn't accounted for on any map. The gemstone on top only makes it stranger."

"What's the deal with that gemstone?" asked Kendra, as she pulled a pair of binoculars out from her bag and looked up at the gemstone. The black jewel, which was oblong-shaped, was as thick as a house, had to be several stories high, and was held into place on the pyramid by a golden frame attached to its bottom.

"What are they up to?" asked Seth, pointing to Matthew and Hespera. Everyone watched as the two dark magicians allowed themselves to float into air, and rise up towards the top of the pyramid. Once they reached the base of the gemstone's frame, they landed upon the highest row of blocks.

"What's the deal with that big black gem?" asked Seth.

"I think it's an onyx," said Warren. "But I've never seen any stone that huge before in my life."

Matthew and Hespera attempted to blast the onyx's frame using some sort of magical force, but failed to make so much as a dent in it.

"What do they want with that thing?" asked Geminus.

"I hope Matthew isn't trying to give that thing to Hespera as an engagement gift," said Warren jokingly."

"If a man ever gave me a rock like that, I'd don't think I'd want to marry him," said Clover. "Not that- I've ever had a boyfriend. Not enough male fairies, of course."

Kendra glanced over at Clover, and saw that she blushed upon looking at Warren.

"What was t_hat_?" asked Seth.

"Not now!" exclaimed Bright. "Hespera's floating back down the pyramid, but Matthew's still at the top!"

Everyone watched as Matthew suddenly grew large. As his size increased, he wrapped his hand around the onyx, as he gripped the side of the pyramid with the soles of his enlarged shoes. Matthew was now as big as he had been previously at Fablehaven.

Grabbing the onyx with both hands, Matthew pulled as hard as he could, but failed to loosen it even slightly from the pyramid. He then snapped his fingers and transformed himself into an equally large black gorilla, and continued to try and pry off the onyx.

"What does he think this is?" asked Seth. "The Empire State Building?"

"It's no good!" boomed Matthew from atop the pyramid. He then snapped his fingers again, and transformed into a humongous crab. As a crab, Matthew clamped his pincers around the onyx's golden base, and pressed against it fiercely.

As clamping the frame resulted in nothing, Matthew transformed back into a gorilla. However, he still retained the crab pincers in place of what would've been gorilla hands. His head then transformed into that of a lion's, and he proceeded to gnash on the frame with his jaws.

"This is getting weird," said Kendra. "But, what'll happen if he sees us?"

"He may be a gorilla monster," said Seth. "But he doesn't seem that tough. What's he gonna do? Throw a barrel at us? He can't even break that frame!"

"Ten to one says that there's magic protecting the onyx," said Warren.

"I give up!" roared Matthew, who had removed his lion mouth from chewing on the frame. "Nothing I do seems to work!"

Matthew then transformed from a gorilla/crab/lion hybrid back into his normal human body and floated down to where Hespera was waiting.

"I guess they can't get what they came for," said Seth. "Now what?"

"They don't seem intent on leaving said Warren. "They're still gazing upon the pyramid."

"So what's the deal with this pyramid and that onyx?" asked Kendra.

"Wish I knew," said Warren

Everyone then watched as Matthew and Hespera walked over to the large door at the base of the pyramid. They proceeded to blast it with magic, and the door instantly crumbled into rubble.

"Looks like the builders of this pyramid blew their budget on protecting the onyx, rather than guarding the door," said Seth, as Matthew and Hespera proceeded to enter the pyramid.

"Getting in was easy," said Warren. "_Too_ easy."

"But what's the deal with the onyx?" asked Kendra. "They must want it for something. But what?"

"Wish I knew," said Warren. "It wouldn't surprise me if they went into the pyramid so that they could try to loosen the onyx from the inside."

"Guys!" said Raxtus, appearing before the others! I found something!"

"Raxtus, where have you been?" asked Geminus.

"I was flying around invisibly, seeing if I could find anything! This way! You have to see it!"

"As long as those two are inside, I guess we can look," said Warren.

The dragons flew the group around the the other side of the pyramid, where Raxtus directed everyone to a pit in the ground. The pit was octagonal, with smooth walls running down the sides. Looking down into the pit, the walls folded into the floor, a good forty-or-so feet from the top.

Kendra took a good look down into the pit, then looked up at the onyx atop the pyramid. "You don't think?"

"That the onyx would fit into this hole?" asked Raxtus.

"It looks like it could," said Warren, examining the hole more closely. He then leapt into the air and flew up pyramid to the onyx. After flying around the onyx, Warren flew back down to the pit.

"Well, I didn't bring my tape measure, but from what I can tell, that onyx has to be a perfect fit for this pit."

"So, suppose someone were to successfully dislodge the onyx from the pyramid and place it in this hole," said Kendra. "What would it do?"

"Beats me," replied Warren. "But if Matthew and Hespera are after it, it's not going to be good for us."

"I don't get it," said Seth. "If you don't want people placing that onyx in the hole, then why was it located right next to the pyramid?"

"That's just the thing," said Warren. "The builders of this pyramid must've done this on purpose, so that anybody powerful to place the onyx in the hole would have the choice to do so."

"Matthew and Hespera want to release Navarog and take advantage of his true potential," said Kendra. "What's that got to do with placing a huge gemstone into a hole?"

"Yeah," said Seth. "What's that going to accomplish?"

"That..." said Warren, "is not something that I want to find out."


	26. A Pyramid Scheme

**Chapter 26: A Pyramid Scheme**

Seth, Kendra, Warren, Bright, Clover, Raxtus and Geminus all looked back at the colossal pyramid that was standing behind them.

"So, what are we supposed to do now?" asked Seth. "I mean, Matthew and Hespera are inside the pyramid, no doubt trying to find a way to take that onyx that's on top so that they can stick it in that hole," he said, pointing back to the large pit in the ground.

"The sooner we can stop them, the better," said Warren. "I don't have the slightest clue as to what placing the onyx in the hole would even accomplish, but if Matthew and Hespera are so intent on doing it, it can't possibly be good for us."

"Do you think we should go into the pyramid and snuff them out?" asked Kendra. "Or wait outside and ambush them?"

"There could be multiple entrances for all we know," said Warren. "And who knows? For all we know, they're in there looking for some sort of super weapon that could kill us all in a flash. We need to hunt them down. The sooner we stop them, the better."

Raxtus and Geminus brought the knights around to the front of the pyramid, where the entrance still remained open. Situated in the center of the base, the entrance appeared to be about one story high, and lead into a darkened hallway.

"Brace yourselves," said Warren, as he accepted his bazooka from Bright. "Hopefully we can snuck up on them from behind a corner and just get this whole thing over with."

The group proceeded to venture inside the pyramid. As they moved in, the ceiling of the passageway started to block out the blistering sun in the sky. Soon the only light came from the path leading outside, and several flickering braziers that were attached to the walls.

"Sound may echo in here," said Warren softly. "So take light steps, and try and talk as little as possible. Matthew and Hespera already have an idea that we're onto them. We can't afford to give ourselves away any more."

The others all nodded, and proceeded to traipse down the passageway. After walking for several yards, the group came across two way intersection.

"Right or left?" asked Warren, looking down both ways.

"Is this place a maze?" asked Seth.

"Might as well be," replied Raxtus. "There doesn't seem to be any clues as to where we should be going."

"Let's go right," said Kendra. "I don't know if it's actually better, but I can't see any reason to be going the other way instead."

"What makes you so sure?" asked Seth. "Your_ fairy-sense_ tell you so?"

"No," replied Kendra. "It's just what I decided on."

"Do we have to stand here and argue?" asked Bright. "If Kendra says we should go right, and we have no reason not to, then as fairies, we're inclined to follow her lead."

"Fine," said Seth. "Nobody listens to me anyway," he said under his breath.

The group proceeded down the right pathway, when suddenly, they could hear stone sliding behind them. They turned around in time to see that a wall had shifted behind them, blocking the path back to the intersection.

"Aw, great," said Seth. "Does that mean we're being forced to continue, or are we in fact trapped?"

"If this is a trap, we can blast our way out of here," said Bright. She proceeded to clasp her hands together, but nothing more happened."

"Bright, what are you doing?" asked Clover.

"My magic. I... I can't get it to work!"

Clover clasped her hands together, but she too accomplished nothing.

"No!" she cried. "Something's cancelling out our magic!"

"Must be an effect of the pyramid," said Warren. "If they can mount an irremovable jewel atop of it, nullifying magic shouldn't be too much for them either."

"So how do we get out?" asked Clover.

"My bazooka only has one shot in it, so I'd rather not waste it, since Bright can't retrieve more ammo so long as she can't use her magic. So blasting the wall with it is out of the question."

"And a wall like that is too sturdy for small dragons like us to demolish," said Raxtus. "That goes double for you, Seth."

"Well, unless there's a dynamite store in the neighborhood, we might as well continue down this way and see what we find," said Warren.

The group proceeded down the passageway for several yards, until they reached a corner that veered to their left. Before them stood another, seemingly barren hallway.

"What's the point of all this anyway?" asked Seth.

"I don't know if there even _is_ a point," replied Kendra. "Either way, I don't care."

As the group ventured down this next hallway, they were taken by surprise when a wall slid in front of them at the far end. The sound of more sliding stone came from behind them, prompting them to look back and see that another wall had closed behind them, trapping them inside the passageway.

"Aww, great," moaned Seth. "Are we really trapped?

Just when things couldn't get any worse, the side wall slowly started to press their way in towards the center of the passageway.

"No!" exclaimed Raxtus, as he leaned against one of the long, sliding walls, trying to hold it back.

"We're gonna get crushed!" shrieked Kendra.

"Help me!" screamed Raxtus, unable to prevent the move the wall from pushing him back.

Geminus stood next to Raxtus and helped press against the wall, but even their combined strength was not enough to stop it. Seth too joined in, but as soon as he placed his claws upon the wall, he could tell that they'd never overcome it with their strength.

"The Translocator!" gasped Kendra.

"Magic doesn't work in here," commented Warren.

"Why is this happening?" cried Clover.

Everyone seemed to shrug in response, as the walls continued to grow closer and closer together. The hallway, which was initially a good fifteen or so feet wide at first was now only about eight feet.

"We must've triggered _something_," said Warren, trying to stand at the center-most point of the narrowing hallway.

"All I did was step on a loose rock," exclaimed Geminus. "But I don't see how that's related to this!"

Warren gazed down at the floor, and began examining where they had been walking. "There better be a way to reset the trap."

Before long, the passageway got even narrower, and it was only a few feet wide. The dragons were now starting to get pressed in between the closing walls.

"HELP!" shrieked Seth.

Kendra, Bright and Clover were all ducking on the floor, covering their heads with their arms. Kendra looked over at the dragons, and could see their bodies slowly start to get compressed between the wall. It was hopeless. The walls were closing in, and there was nothing she could do to help.

Suddenly, as if there had been a miracle, the walls began to retract away from each other, as they slid back towards their original positions, as did the walls that had appeared in front of and behind them.

"What happened?" asked Seth, relieved to have been rescued.

"I found the release button," said Warren. "If you wish to thank me, I accept hugs, kisses and most major credit cards."

Everyone took a deep breath.

"Where was the switch?" asked Kendra.

"Back here," said Warren, directing the group to a brick in the floor that was raised marginally higher than the others.

"Uh, I think I may have stepped on that," said Geminus. "I'm sorry, but I'm a dragon! I've got these huge talons, it's hard to notice a little stone like that."

"So, the same switch that enables the trap also disables it?" asked Seth.

"I guess they figured that once the walls started closing in, people would panic to avoid getting crush, and fail to realize that the solution was right there under their nose, literally."

"Note to self," said Raxtus. "Look out for uneven floor tiles."

The group continued down the hallway, and followed it as it twisted around several more corners.

As the group came around the next corner, they could see several sarcophagi lined up against a wall. The lids of the sarcophagi all slid open, and a mummy staggered out of each one. From what Kendra could tell, there were at least ten of them.

"Mummies?" asked Kendra.

"Does someone want her mommy?" asked Seth.

"She's your mother, too," noted Kendra, as the mummies began to approach the group.

"I wouldn't take these mummies lightly," said Warren.

"Why?" asked Seth. "They're just dead guys in bandages!"

"He's got a point, said Raxtus, raising his fist in the air, "Our magic may not work in here, but we've still got our strength."

Raxtus marched up towards the approaching mummies, then swung his tail around and slammed it into the front-most one. However, both Raxtus and the mummy remained where they were standing.

"Raxtus?" asked Geminus, only to get no response, as the mummies all made their way around Raxtus and began to close in on the group.

"Why's he just standing there?" asked Kendra.

"They've cursed him," said Warren. "Now Raxtus can't move. Not even his mouth so now he can't talk."

"Do something!" screamed Geminus!"

Kendra looked back and saw that another wall had already closed in behind them. They were now trapped in the corridor with the mummies.

"Shoot them!" exclaimed Clover.

"I can't get a clear shot," said Warren, trying to keep his distance from the mummies. "I might hit Raxtus if I do."

"Maybe we can make a run for it?" asked Kendra.

"You might not make it," said Warren. "But at this point, I'd be willing to risk it."

The mummies had now spread out, and were covering the corridor from wall to wall, blocking the way forward, as they loomed even closer.

A stream of fire suddenly shot out from where the group was standing, and proceeded to scorch the gang of mummies. Everyone looked at the source of the fire, and saw that it was coming from Seth, who was spewing it from his mouth.

Kendra smiled with glee as each mummy burst into flames upon being hit by the fire, and almost instantaneously crumbled to the ground. Before long, nothing was left of the mummies but several mounds of ashes.

"What... happened?" asked Raxtus, shaking his head in awe.

"You were cursed by a mummy," said Warren. "However, the mummies were no match for Seth's fire breath. But, because he mummy who cursed you was destroyed, the curse was lifted."

"But... how did Seth use magic in here?" asked Kendra.

"Magic?" asked Raxtus. "Dragon fire isn't magic. Lot of our other powers are, but not fire. I'd torched those mummies if only I actually could breathe fire.

"Well another problem easily solved," said Seth. "Hold your applause."

"Let's just carry on," said Warren. "I don't know how on Earth Matthew and Hespera got through all of this ahead of us if this place cancels out magic."

The group continued progressing through the pyramid, which was in actuality, one huge maze. They seemed to be going in circles, as Warren had led the group down four left turns in a row.

"This can't be right," said Warren. "This hallway doesn't look familiar, but we've made left turns four times, each turn at a ninety degree angle.

"Maybe this place is like the Dreamstone," said Seth. "That place defied all logic and physics with its layout.

"We got through there by just pushing forward," said Kendra. "But will that work here?"

"I don't know," replied Warren. "But right now, forward seems to be the only option we really have."

After several more minutes of walking, the group eventually found themselves at the bottom of a shaft. Looking upwards, they could see another floor at the top of the shaft.

"Are we supposed to climb up this thing?" asked Kendra, when suddenly, the whole group found themselves being hurled up into the air by an unknown force. Before hitting the ceiling, their bodies were flipped upside-down, so that the ceiling now acted as the floor.

From what Kendra and Seth could see, the were inside a huge room that took up most of the upper section of the entire pyramid. As they were technically standing on the ceiling, what appeared to be the _floor _got deeper and deeper towards the center of the room; the inverse of the pyramid.

Everyone looked down towards the upper portion of the pyramid, and saw an enormous crocodile dressed in gold plates creeping around. Down there with the crocodile were Matthew and Hespera, who were both lying around, seemingly unconscious or possibly dead.

"What's going on?" asked Kendra.

"Did that alligator kill them?" asked Seth.

"Crocodile," said Kendra. "We're in Egypt, remember?"

"Crocodile, alligator, who cares?"

"He does," said Warren, pointing to the lower section of the chamber. "I think he just heard us."

The crocodile, which seemingly rivaled Navarog in size, began to climb up the pyramid, facing towards where the knights were standing.

"Maybe we should rethink this," said Seth, looking up towards the shaft that they had fallen through, only to see that it had now been sealed off.

"He's coming for us!" cried Kendra.

"I'll handle this," said Warren, aiming his bazooka down at the approaching crocodile. At no more than twenty feet off, Warren fired the bazooka directly at the crocodile's face, causing a small explosion. The crocodile shrugged the smoke away, then loud out a loud hiss. Scales were now missing from the his snout, leaving his flesh exposed.

"Wow," said Seth.

"This thing really can do damage," said Warren. "So long as it actually hits something."

The crocodile reached the ledge that the knights were standing on, and lunged its tremendous jaws at them, almost biting them in the process.

Kendra, Seth and Warren all dashed off, while the fairies and dragons drifted after them. They ran as far away from the looming crocodile as they could, until they reached a corner, then turned and continued down the next ledge.

"Where are we supposed to run?" asked Kendra, as the scurried down the ledge. Given the shape of the pyramid, they were ultimately running in a massive square formation.

"Look, I'd blast the croc a few more times, but I'm out of ammo!" exclaimed Warren.

"Then _I'll_ blast him!" said Raxtus, flying back towards the crocodile's head. The others watched as Raxtus flew up towards the crocodile's swollen face and slashed his claws along the open wound.

"Of course!" said Geminus. "this thing may be large, but he's not invulnerable!"

Geminus proceeded to fly over to where the crocodile was trying to snap at Raxtus with his jaws. But Raxtus managed to dodge him akin to a fly avoiding a swatter.

Soon the two fairy dragons were both going at the humongous crocodile's open wound. Compared to the dragons, the crocodile was fairly slow and clunky.

"That looks like fun!" said Seth.

"Stay here," said Warren, drawing his sword. "I understand your desire to help, but you're still inexperienced in the body of a dragon."

Grasping the sword in his hand, Warren darted over towards the crocodile, and flung his sword directly into the beast's eye. Blinded the the pain, the crocodile lost track of everyone attacking him, and soon lost the grip his claws had on the ledge.

The crocodile roared in agony as he fell down towards the top of the pyramid, only for his body to get stuck between one of the narrower upper levels, close to the _bottom_.

"He's down!" shouted Warren. "Let's go in for the kill!"

Warren and the dragons flew down towards the crocodile. Kendra, Seth, Bright and Clover and peered down over the top ledge that they were on and watched as Warren and the fairy dragons continually slashed at the fallen crocodile.

After about a minute or so, the massive crocodile suddenly vanished.

"Where'd he go?" asked Clover.

"Is he a chameleon too or something?" asked Seth.

Kendra pulled out a pair of binoculars and held them up to her eyes. Gazing down, she could see Warren and the dragons hopping down to the lowest level of the pyramid, where Matthew and Hespera were still lying.

Just then, the two sorcerers stood up and blasted Warren and the dragons with dark energy, thrusting them against the wall.

"STOP!" shouted Bright, as she transformed in her unicorn form. Her hooves began to glow vibrantly, as she rapidly spiraled down the pyramid, leaving a rainbow in her wake. Kendra, Seth and Clover stepped onto the rainbow, but due to its steepness, lost their footing and slid down as though it were a huge slide.

They whirled down and down towards the bottom of the rainbow slide, just in time to see Bright blast a rainbow from her horn at Matthew and Hespera.

"What's going on?" asked Kendra.

"Defeating that crocodile seems to have uplifted the pyramid's block on magic," said Warren.

"My power," said Bright. "They're too strong for me!"

"Foolish fairy thinks she's so tough," said Hespera. "Doesn't she know when she's had enough?"

Clover blasted Hespera with her magic, only for it to fizzle away upon making contact with her.

"We gotta get out of here," said Warren. He pulled out the translocator and twisted it, and as if on cue, all of his allies touched it. Before Matthew or Hespera could respond, the translocator whisked them away.


	27. Khaarupt

**Chapter 27: Khaarupt**

Kendra opened her eyes, and saw that she was now back outside the pyramid. Her hand still touching the Translocator, Kendra gazed up at the pyramid. The thought of who was now inside filled her heart with dread. They would be coming.

"What do we do now?" asked Seth nervously.

"I... I don't know," said Warren. "It's as though Matthew and Hespera _wanted_ us to take out that crocodile for them."

"Well, the pyramid's restriction on magic seems to have subsided," said Bright. "At least we were able to escape."

"But we're not the only ones who can use magic now," said Clover. "And we weren't able to harm them no matter what we tried."

Just then, Matthew and Hespera suddenly materialized in front of the pyramid, not too far away from where the Knights of the Dawn were standing.

"It's all over for you, Knights!" said Matthew, displaying a wicked smirk on his face.

Seth snarled at Matthew, smoke spewing from his nostrils. At this point, he wanted nothing more than to lunge at Matthew and rip him to shreds. But Seth knew better. Matthew and Hespera were likely now protected by magical shields, rendering his attacks entirely useless.

"They don't seem to be interested in us," said Kendra confusedly. "It's like they know we can't do anything about this."

Dark energy began to emit from Hespera and Matthew's hands. They then directed the energy at the pyramid, encasing the entire structure in an eerie, black glow. Dumbfounded by their enemies, the Knights of the Dawn watched as the entire pyramid began to rise up off of the darkened sand on which it had sat for presumably thousands of years. Soon pyramid was seemingly floating in midair; its lowest point no closer than fifty feet above the ground.

"Oh my god," gasped Kendra.

"Don't tell me they're going to flatten us with that thing," said Seth.

"This can't be good," said Clover. "I mean, there must be _some_ way to stop this!"

"I'm open to suggestions," said Warren worriedly.

Without warning, the entire pyramid began to rotate vertically. It began to tip over so that the onyx atop began pointing down towards the ground, almost as though it was a clock hand moving from twelve to six in mere seconds. By now, the entire pyramid had been flipped upside-down.

"That's one way to turn around that room we were in," said Raxtus.

"That's not what _they _care about, said Warren, pointing out that the pyramid was now moving in a particular direction. Before long, the upside-down pyramid was now floating over that the group had spotted before venturing into the pyramid.

"No!" screamed Kendra. Like the others, she had no clue whatsoever as to what placing the onyx in the whole would accomplish, but was confident that it would spell bad news for everyone. If only there were some way stop Matthew and Hespera from doing all this.

But they knew any attempt to attack them would be in vain. They had become seemingly invincible at this point, and anything that the Knights of the Dawn could possibly attempt to thwart them would be futile.

The pyramid began to lower down towards the ground, until the onyx had sunk down into hole, fitting like a glove. A pause followed.

"What... happened?" asked Seth.

The group then watched as Matthew and Hespera proceeded to float up into the air, rising towards the _top_ of the inverted pyramid.

"Come on," said Raxtus, grabbing a hold of Kendra and Warren. "They're up to something."

The group all flew up after Matthew and Hespera, and reached the top of the pyramid moments after Matthew and Hespera. Now upside-down, the top of the pyramid was currently a large, flat, square platform.

"Came to see what we're up to?" asked Matthew, facing the group with his hands on his hips.

"What's this all about?" asked Warren.

"You _are_ a curious one," replied Matthew. "And curiosity is about to kill a certain cat."

Warren breathed deeply as Matthew laughed. "Were you expecting me to turn you into a kitty?" he asked. "But why bother? We know that you don't have any chance of stopping us."

"How'd you do it?" asked Kendra. "Getting through the pyramid and past the giant crocodile. How?"

"Light magic triggers the pyramid's defence," answered Hespera. "Think about that. It's common sense."

"And the crocodile?"

"We may have taken a hit or two," said Matthew. "But who cares? Once you took care of him for us, we just revived ourselves with potions. See, we knew you'd be coming, and decided to let you take care of the big guy for us."

"Then what was all this about?" asked Bright. "Turning this whole pyramid upside-down just to stick some crystal in a hole?"

"It's about this," said Matthew walked towards the center of the platform with Hespera. Once they reached the exact middle, a pedestal rose out of the floor. Hespera waved her hands over the pedestal, causing what appeared to be a pharaoh's headdress to materialize on it.

"Uh, what _is_ that?" asked Seth nervously.

Matthew picked up the headdress, revealing that front of it resembled a jackal's face. "This is Khaarupt."

"Khaarupt?" asked Kendra.

"Never heard of it," said Warren, as Matthew held Khaarupt up to his face.

"Don't wear it," said Hespera, "or you're good as dead. Find another we can use instead."

"What does that thing do?" asked Kendra.

"It overwhelms the wearer with darkness. Destroying their heart, and filling them with nothing but pure evil and darkest magic. It might work on anyone. Even... you!" yelled Matthew as he faced Kendra and allowed Khaarupt to fly directly at her head.

Kendra held her hands in front of her face and shrieked as Khaarupt flew up to her. However, before it could make contact, she could feel energy flowing out from her body and knocking Khaarupt back.

"It didn't work," muttered Matthew, who was now holding Khaarupt in his hands again.

"Of course it failed. On her it won't work. She's protected by fairies, you stupid jerk!"

"Then I'll just have to try it on... him!"

Khaarupt then went flying out of Matthew's hands again, and began homing in on Seth.

"No!" screamed Seth, as he started to run away from Khaarupt.

Bright aimed a rainbow at Khaarupt, but it fizzled as soon as it got anywhere close. "It's too powerful. I can't stop it!"

"Having gained some distance between himself and Khaarupt, Seth unleashed his fire breath at the approaching head ornament, but didn't so much as phase it."

"That thing's unstoppable!" said Warren, watching as Khaarupt continued to chase Seth around the pyramid.

"And if it that thing lands upon his head..." said Kendra.

"Well, being a shadow charmer already, it won't look good for Seth," said Warren.

"What are we supposed to do?" asked Kendra.

Warren grunted, then ran over to Khaarupt, drawing his sword in the process. "Stupid thing!" he yelled. "You leave him alone!"

Khaarupt turned its attention away from Seth and glared at Warren, its eyes glowing a solid red. Warren readied his sword, preparing to slash at Khaarupt the moment it pounced him. Khaarupt then flew towards Warren at a rather casual speed. Warren swung his sword directly at Khaarupt, only for it to pass through the headdress as though it were a ghost. Warren lowered his sword and attempted to run away, but it was too late. Khaarupt had already settle itself upon Warren's head, his face replacing the jackal that was initially there.

Kendra, Seth, the fairies and the dragons all stared at Warren, jaws dropped in shock. A mysterious dark aura formed around his body, and when he turned to face his allies, his eyeballs appeared to be entirely black in color. He smiled upon seeing the others.

"Warren?" asked Seth.

Without responding, Warren held out his palms and prepared to blast the group with some form of energy. Bright, Clover, Raxtus and Geminus all combined their power and conjured up a force field around the entire group. It came just in time, as the dark energy that Warren had shot from his hands thrashed against the force field a second later.

Matthew and Hespera could be heard laughing from outside the colorful, dome-like force field, as blast after blast of dark energy came from Warren's direction.

"What's happening?" asked Kendra fearfully.

"I don't know" replied Bright. "But, I'm really scared."

"We need to get out of here!" exclaimed Geminus.

"I hope you can fly fast," said Seth. "Warren has the Translocator on him."

Kendra then noticed that the force field was starting to crack around the area where Warren was currently blasting it. For each shot that hit it every few seconds, the crack grew larger.

"What do we do?" squealed Raxtus.

"Well, we tried light magic on Khaarupt before, but nothing happened," replied Clover. "I don't know what can stop it."

"The Sands of Sanctity?" asked Seth. "Warren's been affected in a negative way, so maybe it'll restore him?"

"It's a long shot," said Bright. "But a dim hope is better than nothing at all. The moment the force field breaks, I'll shoot a rainbow at Warren. Kendra, you pour the Sands of Sanctity on the rainbow, and hopefully it'll carry its power over to Warren."

Within seconds, the crack in the force field grew large enough that the whole thing shattered, the broken magical pieces vanishing in less than a second. Bright quickly shot a rainbow out of her hands and over towards Warren. However, the rainbow died out once it got near Warren. Kendra then poured a bit of sand out of the Sands of Sanctity onto the rainbow, and watched as the sparkling contents flew across the rainbow and flew into Warren.

Nothing happened. Warren then placed his hand on the rainbow. The colors faded to monochrome, and a second later, the black and white rainbow shattered.

"Give it up," said Matthew. "Your glittery fairy magic is useless against Khaarupt. Khaarupt, finish these fools-"

"NO!" screamed Kendra. "We're not going down without a fight! Fairies, make another force field. Now!"

The fairies and fairy dragons conjured up a second force field, just before Warren continued to assault the group with dark magic.

"You can't keep this up forever," said Matthew. "Khaarupt, as soon as you break that force field, blast them!"

"Okay, genius," said Seth. "What's your plan?"

"Fairyprime," said Kendra. "I have to go Fairyprime. It's our only hope."

"Last time you went Fairyprime," said Seth, "you weren't at your full potential. It wasn't enough."

"Yeah, but Geminus and I were the only magical beings there at the time," said Raxtus. "You, Warren, Lance and David were there for support."

"Two Fairy Angels, two fairy dragons and a _good_ Shadow Charmer?" asked Kendra. "Aside from Geminus, I had more when I went up against Tritanoss. But right now, I'll take my chances."

The group of five stood around Kendra in a circle, holding hands. Using their magic, the fairies transformed themselves and Seth into balls of light, which Kendra's body proceeded to absorb. Her power growing stronger, Kendra closed her eyes as she could feel the excessive light energy flowing through her veins.

At that point, wings spurted out from Kendra's shoulder blades, and her hair color shifted to rainbow streaks. She then rose up into the air, bursting through the force field as though it had been a cocoon.

Immediately after Kendra had emerged, she had been blasted by one of Warren's energy shots However, it felt no worse than a slight tingle upon impact. Now that she had become Fairyprime, Kendra felt unstoppable.

"What's she doing?" asked Hespera.. "She looks like a fairy. Is this a joke, or something scary?"

Kendra turned to face Matthew and Hespera. Just as soon as she raised her hands in the air, Warren blasted her with more dark energy. Unlike before, the energy wave was not brief, but rather continuous.

As long as the energy was touching her, Kendra felt petrified. She was unable to move.

A feeling of fear and hurt overwhelmed Kendra, prompting her to close her eyes and fall to the floor. As she staggered to get up, Kendra felt weak. She could sense that her wings were gone, and that her power was gone. On top of that, Seth, Bright, Clover, Raxtus and Geminus were all lying on the ground next to her.

"What... happened?" asked Seth, shaking his head wearily.

"He's too strong," gasped Kendra. "Even for my Fairyprime form."

"But how?" asked Clover.

Matthew laughed. "Fairyprime. Shmairyprime. You're nothing more than a hand-picked human ambassador of the Fairy Queen. Compared to you, Khaarupt is a god. He has already consumed Warren, and he will inevitably consume you."

"Warren!" screamed Kendra. "I don't know if you can hear me, but please! Fight back against Khaarupt!"

"Save your breath," said Matthew. "Warren is long gone. That man over there is now a different soul, using Warren entirely for his body."

"YOU MONSTER!" roared Bright, as she aimed a rainbow at Matthew and Hespera. However, before it could make contact, a barrier caused it to vanish.

"Bright!" exclaimed Geminus. "Save your strength!"

"What strength?" asked Matthew.

Bright scowled fiercely, and by some miracle, penetrated the magical barrier that was protecting Matthew and Hespera. The rainbow slammed into Matthew and Hespera, knocking them onto their backs.

"Lay off," said Hespera. "And heed my advice. Don't think that your magic can make us act nice."

"Destroy them, Khaarupt" said Matthew, as the rainbow flowed through him, "before I change my mind!"

Khaarupt unleashed more dark energy up Kendra, Seth and Co. This wave felt stronger than ever. Even worse was the fact that when Kendra looked down, she could tell that her shoes and feet had begun turning into onyx. Her feet were too heavy to walk with, and she could see that the same thing was happening to all of her allies.

"Do something!" cried Seth.

"What?" asked Clover. "I've tried using my magic, but this stupid crystal cancels it out! Believe me!"

The onyx transformation began to rise, going up from her ankles towards her knees within seconds. She could feel as her body turned to onyx, it got denser, heavier, and was essentially immobile.

"It's over," said Matthew. "This time, we win."

The oynx continued to rise, past everyone's wastes, then their shoulders, until it finally made its way around their heads. The moment their eyes were covered, everything turned to black. It was over. The power of Khaarupt and the onyx was just too strong.

Just before Kendra could think of anything, she could feel her body returning to normal, as though it had never been altered. She looked around and saw that Seth and the fairies were back to normal as well, although Seth was still a dragon.

"What happened?" asked Hespera. "How can this be? They were defeated. Didn't you see?"

"Good question," muttered Seth. "Maybe Warren gained some sense..."

"It was me," said a familiar voice, causing everyone to gaze around in awe.

"Who said that?" asked Matthew.

At that moment, the Fairy Queen magically appeared before everyone in a flash of brilliant light.

"The Fairy Queen?" asked Matthew, displaying a scowl on his face. "NO! You can't do this! It's not fair!"

"You two," said the Fairy Queen, pointing her finger at Matthew and Hespera, "you will both pay for what you have done."

"What are you doing here, anyway?" asked Matthew.

"I came once I sensed that Kendra had become Fairyprime. And as for the rest of you, if you were in this much trouble, you should've come to me for help."

"Believe me, we've been trying," said Seth. "Not all of us can travel between worlds at will."

"We need your help," said Kendra. "Please. Khaarupt has taken over Warren. Please stop Khaarupt."

The Fairy Queen unleashed a blast of powerful white energy at Warren, which engulfed his entire body When it faded, Warren was still standing, seemingly unchanged.

"Oh no," said the Fairy Queen. "My power didn't do anything."

"That's right," said Matthew. "And you'll never..."

"ENOUGH!" roared the Fairy Queen, as she blasted both Matthew and Hespera with magic. Once the magic faded, Kendra could see that the two of them had been transformed into frogs.

"Well, that was easy," said Seth. "Now, since those two are out of the way, you can defeat Khaarupt and save Warren, right?"

"I don't know," said the Fairy Queen, who looked at Warren along with the others. "I already tried my magic on him, but as you saw it was ineffective.

"What if I try it again?" asked Kendra. "Now that the Fairy Queen is here, what if I combine my Fairyprime power with hers? You think that might be enough to stop Khaarupt?"

"It's our only hope," said the Fairy Queen. "As it stands now, the only reason Khaarupt isn't attacking us right now is due to my presence. But it may not work properly."

"What do you mean?" asked Raxtus.

"What I'm saying is that if Khaarupt is an entity of pure darkness, and it has consumed Warren... then if we were to destroy Khaarupt, Warren might be destroyed as well."

"But, I don't want to destroy Warren!" exclaimed Kendra.

"At this point," said the Fairy Queen, "I don't know what other choice we have."


	28. Demonprime

**Chapter 28: Demonprime**

Kendra, Seth, Bright, Clover, Raxtus, Geminus and the Fairy Queen were all staring directly at Warren. The Egyptian headdress known as Khaarupt was perched atop his head, and had seemingly already consumed his mind, soul, and body.

"What's going to happen to him?" asked Clover. "There must be something we can do to help?"

"I've never heard of this _Khaarupt_ thing before," said the Fairy Queen. "I don't know anything about it, but if it's as powerful as I think it is, we may already be too late."

"What do you mean?" asked Geminus.

"Khaarupt has already consumed Warren, overwhelming his body with darkness."

"Can't you get rid of it?" asked Seth.

"I don't know," said the Fairy Queen. "It's like his soul has been tainted. I don't know if I have the power to save him."

"Can't you just remove the darkness within him somehow?" asked Kendra.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. Pretend that Warren is white, and the darkness that consumed him is black. Mixed together, the two of them make grey."

"What's the problem?" asked Seth. "Just separate them!"

The Fairy Queen sighed. "It doesn't work that way."

"I think I get it," said Kendra. "Seth, you know what the Fairy Queen said about mixing black and white to get grey, right?"

"This is not the time for an art lesson, Kendra,"

"Well, pretend you just combined black paint with white, leaving you with grey. That's it, the first two colors have been mixed together. There's no way to get them back. They're stuck as one."

"You mean?"

"Kendra is correct," said the Fairy Queen. "I do not know of a way to separate Warren from the darkness. If I were to destroy the Khaarupt Warren would be lost along with it."

"What if we could physically remove Khaarupt from his head first?" asked Seth.

"I'm afraid that the damage is already done."

"Guys," said Kendra, "what's Warren doing?"

Everyone watched as Matthew and Hespera, who had already been transformed into frogs by the Fairy Queen, were floating towards Warren.

"Hey, what's he doing?" exclaimed Raxtus, pointing to the frogs, who seemed to be floating towards Warren under his own power.

"Whoa," exclaimed Seth, as he took in a deep breath and exhaled a wave of fire at the frogs. It did nothing, as the fire suddenly nullified by some sort of invisible barrier before it could hit the frogs.

The frogs then floated around Warren, and Khaarupt started to glow, until it turned solid black. This in turn caused the two frogs to each suddenly transform into a glowing ball of darkness.

"What's?" he doing?" asked Kendra.

"No!" gasped Bright, as she blasted a rainbow in Warren's direction, only for it to refract off of the barrier and hit Seth, knocking the dragon onto his backside.

"Watch it!" snapped Seth, getting to his feet.

"I think we have a bigger problem," said Kendra, just as Khaarupt absorbed the two glowing balls of darkness.

"It's like he's going... Demonprime!" gasped the Fairy Queen.

"Fairyprime time!" exclaimed Bright. "Now!"

At that very moment, the fairies and fairy dragons used their power to transform themselves and Seth into colored balls of light almost instantaneously. Kendra then absorbed the powers again, along with the Fairy Queen's.

As Kendra transformed into her Fairyprime form, she watched as Warren simultaneously underwent a transformation himself. Khaarupt appeared to vanish into Warren's body, which then turned into a solid black figure, clothes and all. Warren's eyes were glowing yellow, and long canines had grown out of his mouth. Massive, scythe-like claws had grown out of his fingers and toes. Bat-like wings had come out of his shoulder blades, and a long, devilish tail had sprouted from his backside. Lastly, ram-like horns had grown out of his head. The Warren that everyone had known, was no more.

"_I have to do this"_, Kendra told herself. "_I don't want to do this, but I don't have any other choice"_.

Kendra held out her hands and unleashed a rainbow at Warren, or Khaarupt, or whatever the entity that stood before her was called. The figure was then knocked down onto his backside.

"_I was afraid that this might happen" _boomed the Fairy Queen's voice from within Kendra's head.

"Fairy Queen?" asked Kendra. "How... where are you?"

"_I am within your soul,_" replied the Fairy Queen. "_I am a part of you in your Fairyprime state_. _Our power will not save Warren. As he has been consumed by darkness, he will be destroyed if you try to aid him with magic_."

"But, I don't want to harm him, whatever he's become," said Kendra.

"_The being that you see before you is Khaarupt. I'm afraid that he has become your polar opposite; Demonprime_. _The only reason you still stand is that your Fairyprime power gives you a fighting chance against him."_

Khaarupt rose from the pyramid and waved his claws around. Suddenly, a blanket of silver clouds formed across the sky, which had been seemingly clear only moments ago.

"What's going on?" asked Kendra.

"_I'm afraid I don't know," _replied the Fairy Queen. "_But it can't not be bad_."

At that point, a bolt of what best resembled black lightning shot down from the clouds and hit Kendra. Although it was not electricity, Kendra could feel a powerful sting surging through her body, prompting her to fall down onto the pyramid. The bolt of black lightning left her feeling weakened.

"What was that?" asked Kendra, feeling all weary.

"_It's some sort of dark energy bolt_,"

"What's it doing?"

"_I don't know. I've never experienced something like this..."_

At that moment, Kendra was stuck by another darkness bolt, its intensity more powerful that the previous one.

"Fairy Queen!" exclaimed Kendra. "Fairy Queen, what happened? Are you all right?"

There was no response. Instead, a third darkness bolt shot down from the sky and hit Kendra.

"Stop it!" gasped Kendra, struggling to get up.

Khaarupt ignored Kendra, and instead opted to summon a fourth darkness bolt to crash down from above and hit her.

Kendra felt incredibly weak. She could barely move. Each darkness bolt that made contact made her feel weaker and weaker.

Using the last of her strength, Kendra unleashed a multicolored wave of energy from her body, expanding outwards like some sort of bomb. She watched as the wave hit Khaarupt, causing him shudder in despair as it touched him.

"It's working," said Kendra.

"_Of course its working_," said the Fairy. "_But that is the problem. If we destroy Khaarupt, Warren will be lost along with it."_

"Is there no hope of saving Warren, then?"

"_Not that I am aware of_," replied the Fairy Queen. "_Warren is as good as gone_."

Kendra felt her heart skip a beat, and suddenly felt as though somebody has just punched her in the stomach. The Fairy Queen's words, assuming they were true, had stung Kendra's soul with turmoil and sadness.

"No," said Kendra, trying not to cry. "Surely we could use the Omega Star?"

"_The Omega Star does not work that way," _stated the Fairy Queen. "_If it were to magically make Warren normal again, it would likely destroy him, thus aborting the power of the wish. That is precisely why demons like Navarog and Tritanoss had to be imprisoned, since their natures cannot be altered by magic._"

"Well, maybe there's some sort of loophole in all of this? Unlike those other demons, Khaarupt has Warren's loving heart and soul inside of him."

"_We've already been over this,"_ said the Fairy Queen. _"Warren's soul has been soiled with darkness. This is different from the sort of thing that happened with Seth and Navarog."_

Kendra looked over at Khaarupt, who was standing at the other end of the pyramid, glaring at her with rage. From what both she and Khaarupt could tell, the two of them had reached some sort of stalemate in terms of power.

"Warren's still in there," said Kendra. "I may not be able to sense his presence, but I just have that feeling. And if I can't save him with magic, maybe I can save him the old fashioned way."

"Warren!" exclaimed Kendra, as she walked across the pyramid to where Khaarupt was standing. "Warren, I know you're in there!"

Khaarupt held out his hands and unleashed a blast of dark energy towards Kendra, but she managed to avoid getting hit."

"Warren! I know that Khaarupt is in control of you! But it doesn't have to be this way! Fight him! Don't let him win! Please Warren!"

Ignoring her plea, Khaarupt fired off another blast of dark energy at Kendra, but it too missed.

"Please, Warren! This isn't even about stopping Khaarupt! You're family! You're like a big brother to me! You've done so much to help us! And we've done so much for you! We saved you when you were a catatonic albino! When you were cursed by the shadow plague! When you were trapped in the knapsack! Don't you remember?"

"_It's no use, Kendra_," said the Fairy Queen. "_I'm... sorry_."

"Warren, we love you."

Khaarupt snapped his fingers, prompting a darkness bolt, larger than all of the previous ones, to come crashing down from the sky and hit Kendra. The surge of the impact was immense. Not only did it stun Kendra, but it broke through the base of the upside-down pyramid that she and Khaarupt were atop of.

Unable to control her body, Kendra plummeted through the exposed hole that the darkness bolt had created, and proceeded to fall into the pyramid. As she fell downwards towards the top of the inverted pyramid, she could see that the walls inside were getting narrower and narrower.

Before long, Kendra crashed onto the lowest point of the upside-down pyramid, which was where the giant crocodile had been anticipating the Knights' arrival when they had reached the same large room when they were exploring inside the pyramid.

The impact of the fall was excruciatingly painful; Kendra could hear and feel bones cracking inside of her body upon impact. She tried to move her arms and legs, but couldn't. Something inside of her was broken. She tried to move her neck around, but it too was broken. She was completely paralyzed.

Kendra squinted her eyes. She had taken a rough fall, but there had to be a way to remedy herself using her magic. She concentrated tremendously, until suddenly, the pain that was inside her body magically vanished.

Kendra was now able to move again. However, just as she stood up, she could see Khaarupt floating above and looking down at her.

"Warren..." said Kendra. "Why?"

"_Enough, Kendra,_" said the Fairy Queen. "You've tried reasoning with Khaarupt, but that has failed. "I'm afraid that the only answer now is to destroy him."

"But, Fairy Queen..."

"_Please, Kendra. That's an order._"

"I'm sorry, Warren. Goodbye."

Kendra held up her hands at hands at Khaarupt, and conjured up a three-dimensional heart, that was glowing with a rainbow shimmer. The heart approached Khaarupt, who appeared to be intimidated by it.

The heart soon made contact with Khaarupt's skin, causing him to open his mouth in pain. Although Khaarupt was mute, Kendra could picture him screaming at this point if he actually had a voice.

Khaarupt zipped away from the heart, then shot at it with a blast of dark energy, destroying it on impact.

"It didn't work," said Kendra.

"_Don't give in_," said the Fairy Queen. "_Don't think of him as Warren. Just avenge Warren. It's what he would want_."

"But, your highness..."

"Please, Kendra."

Kendra created a second rainbow heart and sent it spiralling at Khaarupt, engulfing him. As the heart was transparent, Kendra could see the the demon screaming silently in pain, before he used his power of darkness to shatter it.

"It didn't work..." muttered Kendra.

"_Try harder_," replied the Fairy Queen.

Kendra then produced a third rainbow heart, twice the size of the previous two, and directed it at Khaarupt. The demon scowled silently upon contact. It tried to burst the heart with darkness, but failed.

"_It's working!_" Kendra said to herself, as Khaarupt continued to struggle.

Still scowling, Khaarupt held his arms up in the air. Seconds later, a darkness bolt came crashing down through the hole in the pyramid, shattering the rainbow heart he had been encased in. Khaarupt shook his arms violently, as more bolts of darkness shot down through the base of the upside-down pyramid. Kendra looked up and could see that the bolts were crashing through the floor above, some of which were hitting Khaarupt, who was absorbing their power.

"What can I do?" asked Kendra, as a bolt of darkness shot down and hit her. The sensation overwhelmed her body with pain, as more and more bolts shot down, along with bricks and pieces of stone blocks.

Nearly petrified from the shock, Kendra struggled to look up, and saw a mound of stone chunks falling down from above. Kendra concentrated, using her power to summon a force field around her body. Several stone chunks that would've otherwise crushed her were deflected off of the force field.

More and more blocks fell down, until the entire force field was completely surrounded by fallen debris.

Kendra listened until the falling stones finally came to a stop. Was the pyramid even still standing at this point? She couldn't even tell.

Just then, Kendra was stung by yet another darkness bolt. Looking up, she could see that it had penetrated the debris that was above her, but the force field as well.

As some of the debris had now vanished, Kendra could see that she was now outside. The pyramid had completely collapsed. All that was left of it were piles of debris and rubble. Floating above a pile of rubble near Kendra was Khaarupt, who was not only still summoning more darkness bolts, but had now grown to the size of a giant.

"Fairy Queen?" asked Kendra, feeling extremely weak. There was no response. Instead, she was hit by another darkness bolt.

Enuring the shock, Kendra started hyperventilating. "I can't communicate with her. Our power must be too weak. That does it, Khaarupt. This ends now!"

Kendra clenched her fists together and proceeded to grind her teeth. She pictured a rainbow. The hearts that she tried on Khaarupt had some effect, but just weren't strong enough. She concentrated, even as another darkness bolt struck her. But Kendra didn't give up. She needed light energy, and she needed it _now_.

Without warning, a _massiv_e rainbow pierced through the barrier of silver clouds in the sky, and began arcing its way down to Earth at a very high speed. Kendra watched as the rainbow came crashing down through the air. The rainbow, which spanned the length of the destroyed pyramid, soon collided the ground, capturing both Kendra and Khaarupt.

Now inside of the rainbow, Kendra could feel its power surging through her body. She looked over at Khaarupt, and watched as he suffered through being shocked by the rainbow.

"Is he all right?" asked Kendra.

"_I don't think so,"_ replied the Fairy Queen. "_But there's no turning back now. What's done is done_."

Kendra watched in horror as the rainbow began to burn away at Khaarupt's body. Khaarupt was shrinking back down to his original size, unable to overcome the power of the rainbow. Khaarupt wriggled in agony, until he was no longer able to move.

Soon, the massive rainbow itself vanished, although Khaarupt's motionless body was still glowing in all sorts of bright colors. Kendra looked up, and could see the silver clouds in the sky dissipating.

Khaarupt then fell to the ground and stopped glowing. In his place, there appeared to be a solid black object.

"Is... is he gone?" asked Kendra.

"_I don't know_," replied the Fairy Queen, as Kendra looked over at the fallen object.

"What is that?"

"_Careful, Kendra_," said the Fairy Queen. "_There's no telling what that thing is_."

Kendra flew over to where the black object fell, and looked down at it. It appeared to be a human who had fallen on its back. A life size human being carved perfectly out of onyx.

Upon closer examination, Kendra was what it really was. Or rather, _who_. Warren. Her cousin was now a completely motionless body made entirely of onyx.

"Warren?" asked Kendra, looking down at her cousin. She noticed that he was no longer wearing Khaarupt. Was he all right?

Kendra created a rainbow and unleashed its energy upon Warren. But nothing happened.

"Warren?" she asked. Answer me!"

"_Kendra_," said the Fairy Queen. "_I don't know what's happened to Warren"_

Ignoring the Fairy Queen, Kendra attempted to use her power to summon another enormous rainbow from the sky.

"Stop," said the Fairy Queen. "Rainbows won't help. They've already done what they can for Warren."

Kendra felt as her Fairyprime powers suddenly faded, as the Fairy Queen, Bright, Clover, Raxtus, Geminus and Seth all exited her body and returned to their normal selves.

"Warren," said Seth, walking over to the onyx figure. Is he.. dead?"

"I don't know," replied the Fairy Queen.

"Why is he now a crystal?" asked Clover.

"Because the darkness of Khaarupt has consumed his life force."

"Where is Khaarupt?" asked Geminus. "And for that matter, where are Matthew and Hespera?"

"I am unable to detect any signs of Khaarupt," replied the Fairy Queen. "I have reason to believe that Kendra was successful in vanquishing him. As for Matthew and Hespera, I have reason to believe that their bodies and souls, due to their evil natures, were destroyed when Khaarupt was stopped.

"Is that why Warren still exists, even though he's just onyx?"

"Presumably," answered the Fairy Queen. "But this is a very unusual predicament. We've saved Warren. Sort of. Unfortunately, as this is a situation I am unfamiliar with, I am uncertain as to if there is anything we can do to save him or not."

Kendra looked down at Warren, still in the same terrified pose as before. There had to be a way to save him. But, what if there wasn't? Would Warren ever be the same again?


	29. Proposition

**Chapter 29: Proposition**

As everyone looked down at Warren, Kendra rubbed her hand along his smooth, immobilized glass face.

"Will he be all right?" asked Kendra.

"I don't know," replied the Fairy Queen. I'm not detecting any signs of life from Warren, be they positive or negative."

"Couldn't you use the Omega Star to fix him?" asked Seth.

"It's too risky," said the Fairy Queen. "For one thing, Warren may already be dead, in which case the Omega Star would be useless in stopping him. Or, if he is still alive, his soul has been consumed by darkness, in which case the Omega Star would be unable to restore him."

"Well, what are you going to do?" asked Clover.

"Clover, while I may be your queen, and while I may possess great power, I am by no means an expert in magical remedies. I think our best bet would be to let some experienced fairies look into this. Hopefully they will be able to find a solution to all this."

"But, what if they can't?" asked Raxtus.

"Then I'm afraid we might not be able to help Warren at all."

There was pause of complete silence, as everyone kept to themselves, pondering over Warren's fate.

"Is this it?" asked Seth.

"Well, we've stopped Matthew and Hespera," replied Bright. "And for that matter, Khaarupt as well. Looks like the threat we've been up against is no more."

"My goodness," said the Fairy Queen, looking at Seth. "With all the commotion that just went on, I must ask. Seth Sorenson. Why are you a... dragon?"

"It was a potion," replied Seth, looking over his body. "I tried to get an advantage against against Matthew and Hespera when they shrunk us, so..."

"They shrunk you?" asked the Fairy Queen. "What went on?"

"I think we've got quite a bit of catching up to do," said Bright. "I think for now, our best option would be to return to Fablehaven. Where's the Translocator?"

""Uh, Warren had it last," said Kendra, looking at the bag that was strapped around Warren's neck. Like the rest of his possession, the bag itself had turned to solid onyx.

"I can't get it open," said Clover, attempting to open the bag with her hands. Being made of solid crystal, the flap of the bag wouldn't budge.

"Let me try something," said the Fairy Queen, as she waved her hands over the bag. A few seconds later, the Translocator appeared in her hands.

"It's all right!" said Seth. "I thought for a second it would've been turned to onyx, because when Warren was turned to stone by Oblivion, he was holding the Translocator, and it turned to stone as well.

"I think that the Translocator was never in any danger," said Bright. "The dark power of Khaarupt couldn't have affected the Translocator, seeing as how it's an inanimate object with no free will, separate from Warren."

"Works for me," said Seth. "As long as it's still functional."

"Well, let's get back to Fablehaven first," said Bright. "See if the place is even still in one piece."

The Fairy Queen nodded, then twisted the Translocator. Everyone placed their hand onto the artifact, and Raxtus made sure to not only hold onto Warren, but to place one of his hands on the Translocator just in case he was still considered a passenger.

At that moment, everyone was pulled in to the Translocator, just before instantaneously emerging in the yard at Fablehaven.

Everyone looked around at their surroundings. The house was still in ruins, and a great number of the surrounding trees had been destroyed, with only a small few still standing.

"Where is everyone?" asked Geminus.

"They're probably out exploring," answered Bright.

"Guys?" asked a familiar voice from nearby.

The group was then drawn to a small tent that had been set up nearby, which they failed to notice at first. Having just emerged from within the tent was none other than Dale.

"Dale!" gasped Kendra, as she ran up to her cousin and gave him a firm hug.

"Kendra," said Dale assuredly, "is everybody all right?"

"We won!" blurted Seth with confidence. "We stopped Matthew and Hespera!"

Before Dale could say another word, Vanessa suddenly wandered out of the tent.

"Vanessa!" gasped Geminus, as she bolted over towards her hatchling, scooped her up into her arms and hugged her securely.

Raxtus walked up to Geminus and received Vanessa from her, then hugged his daughter as well. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Hold on a second," said Dale. "Where's my brother? Where's Warren?"

Bright and Clover directed Dale's attention over to the onyx statue that they had brought with them. Dale's mouth dropped in horror.

"Dale," said Bright. "We're sorry. But something terrible happened."

Dale placed his hand on Warren's crystal cheek and rubbed it softly. "You can't... fix him?"

The Fairy Queen shook her head. "I really don't know."

Dale hugged Warren's immobile body, and began to cry.

"We're not giving up on Warren," said Bright. "He's not dead. I hope."

"If only it were that easy. Seems like only yesterday he was still catatonic."

Dale then wiped some tears from his eyes. "Please help him, fairies."

Once Dale got over mourning his brother, Kendra spoke up.

"Is this a safe spot on the preserve?" asked Kendra.

Dale nodded. "Stan called in some experts from the Knights of the Dawn, and they've managed to reinstate the magical boundaries throughout Fablehaven, so all the creatures have been forced to return to their proper homes. Since this is technically the yard, no hazardous creatures are allowed here.

"Where are the others?" asked Seth.

They're just out doing head counts on all the creatures. Making sure everyone is in check.

"Dale," said Kendra. "I thought Nero had Vanessa. How'd they ever get her back from him?"

"Stan bartered with him. Didn't take too much convincing given that this is Nero of all trolls. See, Vanessa may be a dragon, but she's also just a baby. And I don't think Nero was too keen on babysitting Vanessa for years and years before she grows into an adult. So, Nero gave her back on account that Stan would pay him back with something _bigger and better_."

"Like what?" asked Kendra.

"I don't know. Maybe a larger, more mature dragon?"

"Oh no," said Raxtus. "I don't care what Stan told Nero. Neither Geminus nor myself are going back to Nero to take his place."

"I don't know what exactly it was that Stan promised him," said Dale. "But I wouldn't worry about it. Nero had no right abducting Vanessa in the first place."

"We should try to meet up with the others," said the Fairy Queen. "Any idea where they are?"

Dale shook his head. "They're out there, somewhere. I'd be with them too, except that I volunteered to stay behind to keep an eye on Vanessa."

"We gotta find them!" said Seth.

"Leave that to us," said Raxtus, as he and Geminus finally placed Vanessa back down on the ground. "We'll get their attention in no time. Come on, Geminus!"

Raxtus and Geminus assumed their take-off stances, began flapping their wings, then leaped up into the air, flying off into the distance.

"Why didn't they ask us to go with them?" asked Kendra.

"There's a quite a few people out there" replied Dale. "The more space they've got, the better."

Dale then looked over at Warren again. "You sure nothing could fix him? Not even the Omega Star?"

"Unless we can figure out the specifics of Warren's condition, the Omega Star still might not work," replied the Fairy Queen. But I'd do anything to help you, Dale. You've treated my subjects very well for years. We just need to do some research before we go venturing into this whole ordeal headfirst."

"I understand," said Dale.

Within only a few minutes, Raxtus and Geminus returned, now accompanied by Bracken in his unicorn form. Once they landed on the ground, Grandpa and Grandma got off of Bracken, Mrs. and Mrs. Sorenson got off Raxtus, while Lance, David and Trask got off of Geminus.

"Is everybody all right?" asked Mrs. Sorenson.

"Well, almost everybody," said Seth, directing everyone's attention to Warren.

"Oh lord," gasped Grandpa. "Normally, this is the point where I'd invite everybody inside, except that right now... there _is_ no house to go inside of."

The Fairy Queen waved her hands around, causing a number of chairs, enough for everyone to appear. As everyone sat down, Kendra melted right into her seat; she had not been able to sit down properly since they were at the Cairo airport.

"Where are all the creatures?" asked Clover. "Where are all the fairies?"

"Most of the damage to Fablehaven occurred around the house," replied Grandpa. "The fairies that were here have relocated."

"Temporarily," replied Bracken. "They said they'll gladly come back once the garden is restored."

"Please," said Grandma. "Tell us about your side of the story."

Kendra, Seth, Bright, Clover, Raxtus and Geminus all took turns relaying their escapade back to the others. From their airport stakeouts to their pyramid confrontation, the travellers made sure to mention everything they had been through. Once they got to the part where they were talking about Khaarupt, the story was stopped by Grandpa.

"I'm sorry, but while I've heard legends of upon legends of mystical creatures and entities, I've never heard of this... Khaarupt."

"Neither did we," said Kendra. "Even Warren hadn't."

"We truly had no idea what you were up against," said Trask. "I'm aware of the risks that we're always taking, but to unknowingly set you up against something so malicious, I'm sorry. I knew it was inevitable, but I couldn't fathom the danger that was actually at hand."

The group continue to explain how Khaarupt had taken over Warren, and how they were no match for him, even with Kendra's Fairyprime form, until the Fairy Queen arrived.

"Excuse me," said Grandma, but Kendra became Fairyprime back here at Fablehaven before she was captured by Matthew and Hespera. If you were able to sense her transformation in Egypt, why not here? We could've used you back then."

"When Matthew and Hespera ravaged the grounds of Fablehaven, they left a dark essence in their path. It shrouded any detection I could've received of Kendra assuming her Fairyprime form."

The group went on to conclude the rest of their story, stopping at the part where they explained how Kendra's rainbow eradicated Khaarupt from existence, leaving behind an onyx Warren.

Everyone looked over at Warren, who was being held in an upright position by Raxtus.

"I... will see what we can do about Warren," said the Fairy Queen, as she turned to face Grandpa. "Mr. Sorenson, if you now have things under control, I will now return to the Fairy Kingdom to assemble the five keepers of the instruments of eternal power. I won't be gone very long."

The Fairy Queen then raised her arms and vanished in a flash of light.

"Now what?" asked Seth.

"Well," said Grandma, "restoring Fablehaven by hand will be a very time consuming job. "I say we wait for the Fairy Queen to return so that we can fix everything using the Omega Star."

Several minutes later, the Fairy Queen returned, holding the Omega Star in her hands, and was accompanied by the five fairy keepers. The five keepers greeted everybody, while Bright and Bracken's sisters were pleased to see their siblings again.

"Wow," said Brook, gazing around, "this place has been... ravaged."

"It's been long enough," said the Fairy Queen, grasping the Omega Star firmly. "I wish to restore Fablehaven back to the way it was, before Matthew and Hespera arrived."

The Omega Star shimmered brilliantly, engulfing the whole area in a blinding flash of multicolored light. Once the light faded away, everyone looked around at what had changed.

Fablehaven was now back to normal. It appeared to be completely unscathed. The house was standing, the garden now looked like a garden again, and all the trees and bushes, from what everyone could see, were full and luscious, despite the late autumn weather that all of New England was currently experiencing.

"Is it all better now?" asked Mrs. Sorenson.

"I imagine so," said the Fairy Queen. "Although it may not fulfil every wish, the ones it does do are always done right."

"It feels like something is missing," said Tiara. "Different from when I was last at Fablehaven."

"The fairies," said Dale. "Even though Fablehaven has been seemingly restored, most of the fairies are still out and about."

"Allow me to remedy that," said the Fairy Queen, looking down at the Omega Star. "I wish for all the fairies that have scattered around Fablehaven to return to this very spot."

Suddenly, a small fairy appeared in a flash of light near the Fairy Queen. It was followed by the arrival of several more fairies, all of whom appeared in the same fashion in quick succession. Within just seconds, dozens upon dozens of fairies kept appearing, finally stopping once their total had gone over one hundred by a fair bit.

Seeming somewhat confused, the small fairies all looked around in distress. However, the moment they noticed the Fairy Queen, each and every last small fairy flew down to the ground and bowed before their Queen.

"My children," said the Fairy Queen. "All of you. My family. My daughters."

Bracken cleared his throat.

"And son. Let it be known that Fablehaven has gone back to the way it was. And while it was restored through the power of the Omega Star, a proper congratulations is in order for the Knights of the Dawn. For you see, they did not have access to the Omega Star, and overcame the odds against two very powerful sorcerers. I apologize for not being able to have helped them before this whole ordeal blew over. I am also sorry for what has happened to experienced Knight of the Dawn Warren Burgess. As you can see, he has been reduced to an onyx statue during this debacle.

The fairies turned their attention over towards Warren, gazing at him in awe.

"How... peculiar," said Brillia, walking over towards Warren. "I am detecting a bleak, yet positive energy emitting from Warren's body. "Something's still going on inside of him. He isn't dead."

"Then heal him," said Kendra. "Please!"

"All right," said the Fairy Queen. "I wish that Warren was back to normal."

The Omega Star didn't respond.

"What's going on?" asked Clover. "Why didn't it work?"

"I don't know," said Brillia. "It's like he's dead. But if he was _dead _dead, I wouldn't have been able to sense any energy from him."

"Well, what do you propose we do with him?" asked Bravia. "If the Omega Star couldn't save him, what can?"

"We should take Warren with us back to the Fairy Kingdom,"said Brillia. "Maybe there we can evaluate his condition more thoroughly and reach a conclusion."

"I'm sorry," said Seth, hanging his head down low. "This whole thing... is my fault. I just wanted to help Zavarok. And, while he never actually _did_ anything evil himself, look where it got us... Now I'm a dragon and..."

"I should really fix that already," said the Fairy Queen. "I wish that Seth would turn back into a human being."

Everyone watched in awe as Seth started to transmogrify back into his human body. His claws turned back into hands, his talons into shoes, while his snout retreated back into his face. Lastly, his horns, wings and tail melted back into his body.

"You're back!" cried Mrs. Sorenson, hugging her son.

"Mom," said Seth, "being a dragon wasn't _that_ bad. But, about Zavarok. All of this happened because of him. He's a demon... and I know he claims to be good..."

"Wait a minute," said Bright. "When Kendra destroyed Khaarupt with that rainbow, Matthew and Hespera vanished along with him. But Warren's body remained, and Brillia claims that there's still some trace of life within it."

"What does this have to do with anything?" asked Opal.

"Warren survived, because deep down inside, he wasn't a dark being by nature like the others. So, if Zavarok were to survive an onslaught of light energy, it might prove that he is not a bad guy after all."

"But he's still a demon," said David. "Even if he means no harm. He'll be finished."

"And a moot point at that," said Grandma. "From what Seth told us, Zavarok is dead and in the netherworld."

"That's not fair," said Seth. "He only died because... because..."

"You claimed it was Umbriel's presence that did him in after he had already been weakened," said Grandpa. "Unable to survive in this world, his decaying soul was pulled through to the netherworld. As he was clinging on to you as a dragon, you were dragged in with him, despite not being dead yourself."

"Well, _I_ made it out," said Seth.

"Yes, but we've theorized that it was because A: You're not a demon, and B: you weren't really dead.

"Is there a chance Zavarok survived?" asked Seth. "If he was trying to stay alive using my life force, then got pulled in to the netherworld by accident?"

"It's unlikely," said the Fairy Queen. "Although, given what happened with you, it's possible he didn't truly die."

"Then, could you consider giving Zavarok another chance?" asked Seth.

"What are you saying?" asked the Fairy Queen.

"I have a propositionRecall Zavarok from the netherworld. If he can prove that he's not evil, maybe pass a test, then we'll help him. If not, he can be sent back to the netherworld and we'll never have to worry about him again.

Everybody then looked at Seth as though he were crazy.


	30. Warren

**Chapter 30: Warren**

Surrounded by the crowd that had gathered around her, the Fairy Queen bent her head down and stopped to think about the current situation. A few moments later, her head rose up.

"I'm not very keen on the idea of this," said the Fairy Queen. "For one thing, if Zavarok is in the Netherworld, then he is, without a doubt... dead. Even the Omega Star would be powerless to retrieve him."

"Zavarok may not truly be dead," said Grandpa. "For you see, from what I understand, demons never truly die. When their bodies are destroyed, what normally happens is that their spirits naturally drift into the netherworld. This netherworld solely exists to keep these rogue, body-less spirits out of our world. Since both Navarog and Zavarok were destroyed whilst in their human forms, their spirits were unable to return to their _natural _dragon bodies. Since they would've needed to be in their true bodies to properly be destroyed, their body-less spirits survived in this world, but on another plane of existence.

"In other words, they were in limbo," said Seth.

"Yes," said Grandpa. "And we all know that Navarog needed you, Seth, because a creature of darkness like him needed a body of darkness like yours that he could command."

"And Zavarok needed me..." said David. "But I'm not dark! I swear!"

"Which is exactly why I am willing to give Zavarok a chance," said the Fairy Queen. "Assuming that he isn't actually dead. However, I will be taking precautions for all of this. To start, I wish that a containment field, large enough to hold a dragon like Zavarok, to appear in the nearby clearing.

The Omega Star flashed fiercely for a second, then faded.

"What happened?" asked Lance.

"Hold on!" exclaimed Grandma. "You can't just bring a huge, demonic dragon into Fablehaven! Are you crazy?"

"I understand your concern," said the Fairy Queen. "But please relax. We have the means to banish Zavarok just as easily as we do to summon him in the first place."

"But what if he..." began Trask.

"The barrier," said the Fairy Queen. "Although it is invisible to all of us, a large barrier is situated in the clearing over there."

Everyone looked over at the clearing that the Fairy Queen had pointed to, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"What barrier?" asked Trask.

"While I could make it visible," said the Fairy Queen, I want for everyone to see Zavarok for whom he really is. We need to show honesty with Zavarok to gain his respect."

"You'll get plenty of respect if you just help him already," said Seth.

"If the barrier is in place, then there is no need to wait. I wish..."

Everyone could feel their tension growing with each word that spilled out of the Fairy Queen's mouth.

"that Zavarok would appear within the barrier that I have set up."

There was a brief pause, which was interrupted by an immense flash of light from within the Fairy Queen's supposed barrier. Once the light faded, it revealed that Zavarok was now standing before them. Not a dragon, Zavarok appeared to be nothing more than a dark, gaseous cloud of some nature.

Everyone stared in awe at the imposing dragon. From what Kendra could tell, he was every bit as menacing as Navarog himself was.

"Where... where am I?" asked Zavarok, looking around.

Kendra and Seth could tell that many of the adults and fairies were starting to freak out at Zavarok's mere presence.

"Is this... Fablehaven?" asked Zavarok.

"Yes," replied Seth. "It's okay, Zavarok. You're no longer in the netherworld."

"How do we know he isn't actually Navarog?" asked Mrs. Sorenson.

"Navarog was banished to the knapsack forever," said the Fairy Queen. "The Omega Star wouldn't be able to counteract the wish that initially sent him there. Anyway, there is one final procedure that Zavarok would have to endure in order to prove himself. If he passes, it will prove his innocence."

"What if he fails?" asked David.

"Then he will be destroyed," answered the Fairy Queen. "Not on purpose, mind you. But, survival of the test would prove that he is innocent."

"If I don't pass," I'll die for real?" asked Zavarok.

"You'd vanish from existence," retorted the Fairy Queen. "Of course, if you're not willing to take the risk, I'd be more than willing to return you to the netherworld and forget about you."

"No!" exclaimed Zavarok. "Not that place!"

"Well, it'd have to be a place where you cannot bother anybody," said the Fairy Queen.

"Fine then," said Zavarok. "I'd rather take this test to determine my fate. Either I walk away a happy dragon, or I end my miserable life. It's better than lingering in the netherworld for eternity."

"All right, then," said the Fairy Queen. "The best way for this to work, would be for Kendra to assume her Fairyprime form. I believe that all the fairies here would be more than enough, so the rest of you can sit this one out."

"Fairyprime?" asked Seth. "Isn't that a little extreme?"

"If Zavarok can survive this, then he truly cannot have an evil heart. It's the same reason why Warren survived when Khaarupt was destroyed. Now then. Brillia, Bravia, Brook, Bracken, Bright, Clover, Opal and Tiara, form a circle around Kendra."

The eight fairies all nodded and surrounded Kendra, then held their hands together. Kendra then closed her eyes, and allowed the group to convert their bodies into balls of energy. Kendra then absorbed the floating balls and quickly changed into her Fairyprime form.

Although Seth had seen it happen many time before, for many of the humans in the group, including their parents and grandparents, it was their first time getting a chance to see Kendra becoming Fairyprime before their eyes. From what Seth could tell, their parents appeared to be speechless.

"How are you feeling, Kendra?" asked the Fairy Queen.

"Incredible," replied Kendra. "I've never reached my Fairyprime form with this many elite fairies before."

"Well then, there's only one thing left to do. Summon a powerful rainbow upon Zavarok, like the one back at the pyramid."

"A rainbow?" asked Zavarok. "Are you sure? It could destroy me!"

"Filtering out the goodness that you claim lies within you might be the only way of proving your innocence," said the Fairy Queen. This is what you wanted, though. When you're ready, Kendra."

Kendra nodded, then nervously rose her hands into the air. What if her actions would destroy Zavarok? Seth might never forgive her for this. She wasn't even sure if she could live with the guilt.

"Anytime," said the Fairy Queen.

Kendra unleashed the magic from within her soul, prompting a flash of light to appear in the sky. Suddenly, a large rainbow shot down from above, plummeting down towards Zavarok, ultimately crashing right into the dragon.

The luminescence of the rainbow nearly blinded anybody who gazed upon it. Although it only lasted a few seconds, it felt much longer than that. After a few seconds had passed, the rainbow faded away, revealing that Zavarok was still standing in place.

"Is that it?" asked Seth, gazing up at the massive dragon.

"He... survived," said the fairy queen, awestruck at Zavarok's continued presence. "But... how?"

"Did it work?" asked Kendra.

The Fairy Queen sighed. I guess there's only one way to find out for sure. She then clasped the Omega Star that was within her grasp. "I wish that the barrier surrounding Zavarok would vanish."

Everyone gasped as the Omega Star worked its magic, and dispelled the invisible barrier. Even though nothing had changed visually, they could all sense the sudden absence of the barrier.

"Fairies," said the Fairy Queen. "May I have one of you as a volunteer?"

Shiara flew up towards the Fairy Queen, bowing before her presence.

"Shiara," said the Fairy Queen. "I ask that you approach Zavarok."

Shiara's tiny jaw dropped. "Zavarok? Are sure?"

"I promise you that he presents no danger. Do this and I will grant you the honor of becoming a Fairy Angel."

"But..."

"I promise that Zavarok will not hurt you. He has been purified of all dark energy. Please approach him."

Shiara cautiously approached Zavarok in a wobbly flight pattern. As she neared him, the dragon did not provoke the fairy in any way. As they watched her, appeared to be beside themselves.

"How can she get so close to a dragon?" asked Dale. "Let alone a demonic one?"

"Am I supposed to do something?" asked Zavarok.

"No," replied the Fairy Queen. "There is nothing the matter with you anymore. Your demonic attributes have been eradicated. You are now a normal, healthy dragon. In fact, I might even consider you to be a fairystruck dragon, provided we do some more evaluation on you."

"You mean, I'm cured?" asked Zavarok, as tears started to gush out of his eyes. "How can I thank you for this? I mean, I know you already have that Omega Star, but if there's anything you want..."

"Oh, I know of something you can do if you'd like to repay us," said Grandpa with a smile.

"But for now," said the Fairy Queen, "I would like to look into a way of restoring Warren. I suggest that we transport him to the Fairy Kingdom and examine him more thoroughly. While I cannot guarantee any sort of success, we may have better luck if we put more thought into the matter.

At that point, the fairies that were within Kendra all departed from her body, prompting her to return to normal.

"We'll do whatever it takes to help Warren," said Clover.

"Goodbye everyone," said the Fairy Queen, who then used the Omega Star to transport herself and the keepers back to the Fairy Kingdom, transporting Warren with them.

"Stan," said Zavarok. "I know I said that I'd do you a favor, but do you mind if I take a rest first. I am _extremely_ tired."

"Uh, sure," said Grandpa.

"Good," said Zavarok, who closed his eyes and immediately collapsed onto the ground, nearly causing a tremor in the process. Within seconds, he was snoring heavily.

"So," said Seth. "What was this _favor _you wanted from Zavarok, anyway?"

Grandpa chuckled. "You'll see soon enough. But Zavarok does have the right idea. Let's all just relax for now. We've already had enough excitement lately, haven't we?"

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Mr. Sorenson had driven Lance and David back to the airport. Kendra and Seth had gone along for the ride, even though they had spent the majority of it resting. Soon they were waiting in line at one of the gates.<p>

"It's too bad we couldn't just use the Translocator to send Lance and David home," said Seth.

"Why couldn't you?" asked David.

"Something about needing to use up your pre-paid plane tickets to get home," said Mr. Sorenson. "Believe me, I thought that it was pretty dumb, myself. But, the less attention we draw, the better."

Lance then realized that there was only one man in front of them in the line. "I guess this is it," he said.

"I'm sorry your trip over here was full of disaster," said Seth.

"Disaster?" asked David. "It was full of adventure!"

"But what about Warren?" asked Kendra. "And Umbriel? Yes, we helped David Zavarok, but that help came at a steep price."

"You know," said Seth, "if we could've just gotten the help we needed at the start..."

"But you probably never would've gotten it," said Kendra.

"Well, we defeated Matthew and Hespera," said Seth. "Better that than letting them wait around for some other opportunity."

"Next," said the ticket agent, prompting the line to move forward.

The Sorensons watched as Lance and Seth helped the ticket agent fill out their forms, and they were soon directed to a gate that required a boarding pass to get through.

"Thank you so much for everything!"

"I was great seeing you all again," said Lance. "I just hope that the next time we meet, it'll be under better terms."

Everyone then wished and hugged each other goodbye, as Lance and David proceeded through the gate with their luggage.

Kendra, Seth and their father eventually returned home, where they were fed a late dinner by Grandma. Everyone else had already eaten, so they just helped themselves to leftover pot roast and potatoes.

Before long, everyone went to bed, and they fell asleep almost instantly.

The next morning, everyone in the house got up and was soon at the table eating breakfast. It was then that they heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll answer it," said Grandma, as she got up from the table and walked out of the dining room towards the front door. Although everyone at the table could hear voices, the front door was too far away from the dining room to properly interpret what was being said.

A moment later, Grandma returned to the dining room, now accompanied by Bright, Clover, and... Warren.

Everybody's mouths dropped. Kendra and Seth could feel their hearts thumping furiously from within their chests.

"Warren?" asked Kendra.

"It's me," said Warren with a grin.

Kendra bolted out of her chair, darted over to her cousin, and gave him a very firm hug

"How?" asked Seth. "I mean, how did you fairies restore him?"

"Warren," said Dale, as he got up from his seat and hugged his brother, "please, take a seat."

"Thank you," said Warren, as everybody who had been standing sat down at the table.

"I can tell you all want to know how we brought back Warren," said Bright. Clover simply smiled and nodded in agreement. "Well, it turns out that his body had been destroyed by Khaarupt's darkness. However, Khaarupt had failed to consume his soul.

"But, why?" asked Kendra. "Not trying to sound negative, but why did it not destroy Warren when it did so to Matthew and Hespera?"

"The same reason why Zavarok survived your rainbow," answered Bright. "When your previous rainbow wiped out Khaarupt, Matthew and Hespera, it left Warren's body in a ruined state, rather than wiping him from existence entirely. That's why there was a possibility we could still help him."

"But how _did_ you help him?" asked Grandpa. "I mean if the Omega Star wouldn't even work..."

"The Omega Star was designed not to restore the deceased. It couldn't bring him back. But, since his living soul was still intact, we figured out that we would be able to bring him back by having my mother extract his soul from his body. Next, she used her magic to conjure up a new body for Warren.

"She can do that?" asked Seth.

"Of course. That's how she creates fairies. She just created a new fairy, and at the same time, fused Warren's soul into it. As such, it grew back into the Warren at this very table overnight."

"That's crazy. He looks know different than normal. Warren, what was it like, going from Khaarupt to being reincarnated?"

"I don't know. Last thing I remember was Khaarupt landing on my head. Next thing I knew, I woke up in front of the Fairy Queen. Man, I feel so faint and hungry."

"Take your time," said Grandma. "It's a miracle you're still alive."

"Thank you Kendra," said Warren. "Really, thank everyone."

"Warren, why do you take a nice, long rest," said Dale.

"I'll make you your favorite dinner, Warren," said Grandma.

After breakfast was finished, Kendra, Seth, Warren, Bright and Clover all went for a walk through the garden surrounding the house.

"It sure is nice to be back with all this fresh air," said Warren. "After what I've been through, it makes you think about what we normally take for granted.

"How are you, Warren?" said Raxtus, as he and Geminus, who was clutching Vanessa in her arms, flew down and landed before the group.

"Yeah, we greeted Warren before he went inside," said Geminus.

"I still feel unusual. I mean, I feel fine, but just different."

"Well, your soul _was _fused together with a fairy's," said Kendra.

"Yeah, but I'm not a fairy," said Warren. "Doubt I'd even be fairystruck. The Fairy Queen wanted to have me examined and tested further, but let me go back early. She wants me back just to make sure..."

At that point, large, green, translucent wings busted out from the back of Warren's shirt, nearly scaring everyone half-to-death.

"Warren?" asked Kendra, gaping in awe at the sight.

"What's happening to me?" asked Warren.

"I guess," said Clover, speaking for the first time all morning, "you're part fairy. Oh, Warren, I can't..."

"Crazy!" exclaimed Seth.

"Warren, I..." continued Clover.

"We'd better get Warren back quickly!" said Bright.

"Warren!" blurted Clover. "Will you... marry me?"

Although everyone was already in shock, Clover's sudden proposal turned it up to eleven.

"Yes!" said Warren, throwing his arms around Clover and giving her a hug, followed by a long, intense kiss. "But first, can we figure out what's going on with me?"

"Of course," said Bright. "Guys, we're sorry to be off like this, but this is important."

"Of course it is," said Clover. "I'm... engaged!"

Bright then conjured up the Omega Star. "I wish for Clover, Warren and myself to return to the Fairy Kingdom."

As the three fairies disappeared, everyone wished them goodbye.

"What a day," said Geminus. "What a day."

"And it's still early," added Raxtus.

"So, Warren's a fairy now. That's another one. We got Raxtus the fairy dragon. Kendra who's fairykind, Geminus, another fairy dragon. And Warren, who's fairy-something."

"And Seth, who's a shadow charmer," said Kendra, patting her brother on the back.

"I kinda wish they hadn't been in such a rush," said Raxtus. "We have some big news ourselves."

"What's that?"

"We're moving," replied Geminus. "To Fablehaven."

"Really?" asked Kendra.

"Yup. We like it better here, and Wyrmroost isn't exactly the best place to raise our little daughter. Sometimes we forget the fairy aspect of being fairy dragons, and it just isn't the best thing."

"That's wonderful," said Kendra, giving Raxtus a firm hug. "But, what about Nero? If he wasn't interested in a fairy dragon,"

"Can't we just have the fairies grant a wish to solve this problem?" asked Seth.

"Oh, don't worry about Nero," said Geminus. "We spoke to Zavarok already. Seems like he's willing to volunteer for the position."

"Zavarok?" asked Kendra. "I know he's good and everything, but to have a dragon like him at Nero's beck and call..."

"All that Stan promised Nero would be a grander dragon in the future to get back Vanessa right then and there. Nothing said the dragon would have to be loyal to him."

Kendra and Seth turned to face each other, nodded their heads, and smiled contently.

**The End**

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the story! It took me longer than I expected, since I've been very busy. Be sure to check out the follow-up story "Destiny of the Dark Destroyer"!**


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